Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly made the decision to delay the ground invasion of Rafah city in the southern Gaza Strip, following an unexpected retaliatory strike by Iran against Israel.
The postponement was announced on Sunday by the country’s public broadcaster.
The military offensive on the Gaza Strip began after a cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, initiated by Hamas, resulting in the deaths of nearly 1,200 individuals.
Since then, over 33,700 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, have lost their lives in Gaza, amidst widespread destruction and dire famine conditions.
Netanyahu has characterized Rafah as “the last stronghold of Hamas” and has been adamant about launching an invasion despite international condemnation.
The city currently shelters approximately 1.4 million displaced Palestinians fleeing from relentless attacks.
Despite previous assertions by the prime minister that a date had been set for the offensive, Netanyahu stated last week that achieving victory over Hamas, along with securing the release of hostages, remains a top priority.
The decision to postpone the ground operation reportedly followed consultations with the Israeli security apparatus.
Finance Minister Avigdor Smotrich had earlier called for the invasion of Rafah and asserted control over the entire Gaza Strip.
The delay comes in the wake of Iran’s unprecedented launch of approximately 300 missiles and drones towards Israel on Saturday night, with Tel Aviv claiming to have intercepted most of them.
This retaliatory attack by Iran was prompted by a missile strike on April 1, targeting the consular section of the Iranian embassy in Damascus and resulting in the deaths of several Iranian military commanders.
