ammonnews.net

Ammon News - Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told his American counterpart, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, in a phone call overnight that Israel was left with no choice but to launch its offensive in southern Gaza’s Rafah.

"The many efforts that the State of Israel is making to reach an agreement for the release of hostages and a temporary ceasefire, and said that at this stage Hamas refuses any proposal that would allow this," Gallant said according to the Times of Israel.

He also told Austin that “there was no choice left and this meant the start of the Israeli operation in Rafah.”

The occupation army claimed that it has expanded the humanitarian area in Al-Mawasi to accommodate the increased levels of aid flowing into Gaza. This expanded humanitarian area includes field hospitals, tents and increased amounts of food, water, medication and additional supplies.

A senior official of Hamas told Reuters the evacuation order was a "dangerous escalation that will have consequences".

"The U.S. administration, alongside the occupation, bears responsibility for this terrorism," the official told Reuters, referring to Israel's alliance with Washington.