Hamas accepts cease-fire deal, Israel 'examining' proposal; IDF enters Rafah

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Palestinians react after Hamas accepted a ceasefire proposal from Egypt and Qatar, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, on Monday.Credit: Doaa Al Baz/ REUTERS

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Protesters block a highway demanding the immediate release of hostages who were kidnapped during the deadly October 7 attack, amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Monday.Credit: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

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People grab flour bags from a truck after the Israeli military began evacuating Palestinian civilians in Rafah, on Monday.Credit: Hatem Khaled/Reuters

Hamas says it has accepted cease-fire deal, Israel says it is still examining the proposal ■ IDF launches targeted strikes east of Rafah ■ Biden, Netanyahu discuss Rafah operation ■ White House: Deal best way to save lives of hostages, Netanyahu agrees to reopen Kerem Shalom crossing

Hamas says it has accepted cease-fire deal, Israel says it is still examining the proposal ■ IDF launches targeted strikes east of Rafah ■ Biden, Netanyahu discuss Rafah operation ■ White House: Deal best way to save lives of hostages, Netanyahu agrees to reopen Kerem Shalom crossing

Palestinian, Egyptian sources: IDF tanks and troops move to within 200 meters of Rafah border crossing

A Palestinian security official and an Egyptian official say Israeli tanks entered the southern Gaza town of Rafah, reaching as close as 200 meters from the crossing with neighboring Egypt.

The Egyptian official said the operation appeared to be limited in scope. He and Hamas' Al-Aqsa TV said Israeli officials informed the Egyptians that the troops would withdraw after completing the operation.

The Israeli military declined to comment.

The Egyptian official, located on the Egyptian side of Rafah, and the Palestinian security official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the press.

The Associated Press could not independently verify the scope of the operation.

'Stop the genocide': Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry warns of Israel operation in Rafah

The foreign ministry of Saudi Arabia issued a statement on Monday evening, expressing its "warning of the dangers" of an Israeli operation in Gaza's Rafah area.

"The Israeli occupation forces targeting the city of Rafah as part of its systematic bloody campaign to storm all areas of the Gaza Strip and displace its residents towards the unknown," the statement read, adding that Riyadh calls on the international community to "intervene immediately to stop the genocide carried out by the occupation forces..."

Gantz: Rafah operation is an integral part of Israel's efforts to secure hostages' release

Benny Gantz, a member of Israel's war cabinet, said Monday that, "the military operation in Rafah is an inseparable part of our continued efforts and our commitment to return our abductees and change the security reality in the south."

Gantz went on to say that, although the proposal agreed to by Hamas "does not correspond to the dialogue that has taken place so far with the mediators and contains significant gaps, we continue to leave no stone unturned and [an Israeli] delegation will go to Cairo."

Gantz added that "every decision will be brought to the war cabinet - and there will be no political considerations."

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