Gantz: We will attack Rafah during Ramadan too if Hamas does not release the hostages

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz has threatened to invade the city of Rafah during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan if hostages held by Hamas are not released.
"I say this very clearly: Hamas has a choice. They can surrender, release the hostages, and in this way the citizens of Gaza will be able to celebrate their holy Ramadan," Gantz said at a conference in Jerusalem.
The IDF plans to launch a ground offensive in Rafah, home to more than 1.4 million people seeking refuge from the war, to defeat what Tel Aviv calls "remaining Hamas battalions".
Palestinians sought refuge in Rafah as Israel shelled the rest of the enclave since October 7. The subsequent Israeli bombing claimed the lives of nearly 29,000 victims and caused massive destruction and shortages of essential goods, Anadolu Agency reported.
Gantz, a former defense minister, said the Rafah incursion would be carried out in coordination with "our American and Egyptian partners to minimize civilian casualties," according to The Times of Israel newspaper.
"The world must know, and the leaders of Hamas must know - if by Ramadan our hostages are not at home, the fighting will spread to the Rafah area," he added.
Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, is expected to begin on March 10.
Hamas is believed to be holding more than 130 Israeli hostages since its cross-border attack.
Israel's war against Gaza led to the internal displacement of 85% of the territory's population./BGNES