Israel Sets Deadline for Rafah Offensive Before Ramadan

Israel has threatened to launch an offensive against Rafah, a city in the Gaza Strip, by the start of Ramadan if Hamas does not release all hostages being held in the area. This was announced by Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz during a conference of American Jewish leaders in Jerusalem on February 18. The Israeli government has previously not disclosed a specific timeline for this operation. However, there is global opposition to such an attack, with the World Health Organization (WHO) reporting that they have been denied access to Nasser hospital in Rafah.