Leaders urge Israel not to target Rafah
The US also said it opposed any assault on Rafah, where more than 1.5 million Palestinians are sheltering.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said a date for the offensive had now been set but provided no details.
“Today I received a detailed report on the talks in Cairo, we are constantly working to achieve our goals, first and foremost the release of all our hostages and achieving a complete victory over Hamas,” he said on Monday.
“This victory requires entry into Rafah and the elimination of the terrorist battalions there. It will happen – there is a date.”
At the same time, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant suggested that now was the right time for a deal over hostages, six months into the war with Hamas.
His comments came as talks on a hostage-prisoner swap and ceasefire continued in Egypt’s capital Cairo.
The CIA Director, William Burns, is also attending the discussions. His presence underlines the growing pressure from the US – Israel’s main ally – for an agreement.
