Israel expects Hamas to reject latest offer – official

Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter

As the war cabinet meets, the assumption among Israel’s leadership is that Hamas will officially reject the latest offer for a hostage deal, an Israeli official tells The Times of Israel.

The cabinet is discussing that possibility, and a potential start to a military operation in Rafah.

Meanwhile, Sinwar believes he can survive an IDF incursion into Rafah, The Wall Street Journal reports, citing Arab negotiators. “Sinwar is expected to reject any deal that doesn’t include a credible path to ending the war,” according to the WSJ.

The Arab mediators also say that Sinwar “believes that he has already won the war, whether he survives it or doesn’t, by opening the world’s eyes to the suffering of Palestinians and bringing the conflict to the forefront of global affairs.”

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