Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Palestinian militant organization Hamas was trying to torpedo the Israeli offensive in Rafah by agreeing to a new proposal in ceasefire negotiations.
"This did not happen," Netanyahu said in a video message posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, on Tuesday evening.
He said military pressure on Hamas was already a prerequisite for the return of Israeli hostages during the last agreement, made in November.
Hamas' recent offer was a far cry from Israel's “necessary requirements,” he said, noting these include guaranteeing the security of his country.
Netanyahu added that he had instructed the Israeli negotiating team in Cairo to adhere to Israel's conditions.
In Egypt, Israel and Hamas are negotiating indirectly over a ceasefire to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of hostages in return for Palestinian prisoners.
Qatar, Egypt and the United States are acting as mediators. On Monday evening, Hamas agreed to a negotiation proposal for a ceasefire.
In the evening, Israeli soldiers advanced into part of Rafah and also took over the border crossing on the Palestinian side.
Netanyahu said the Rafah operation aims to free the hostages and destroy Hamas. He called capturing the border crossing a "very important step" on the way.
