Report: IDF finalizes Rafah plans, invasion possible if no deal in 72 hours

The Ynet news site reports that Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi approved final plans on Monday for military action in southern Gaza’s Rafah, along with refugee camps in the center of the Strip.

According to the site, which does not cite a source, Israeli tanks are lined up on the Gaza border and ready for the green light to begin the contentious offensive, considered by Israel to be the final necessary push to uproot Hamas’s fighting forces from the Strip, despite warnings of a humanitarian disaster if civilians are not moved out of harm’s way.

The tactical plans getting into the nitty-gritty of the fighting were completed over the last few days, Ynet reports. They include a phased invasion that can be halted or delayed in case of progress in hostage talks.

The report claims that the next 48 to 72 hours will see either a hostage deal or the commencement of the invasion.