Any Israeli ground offensive in Rafah will "blow up" the hostage exchange negotiations," Hamas-run Aqsa Television channel quoted a senior Hamas leader as saying on Sunday.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said it had ordered the military to develop a plan to evacuate Rafah and destroy four Hamas battalions deployed there.
Video: Six facts about the Israel-Hamas war in 90 seconds / X/@idf
Most of the displaced have sought shelter in Rafah, on the border with Egypt, but after fruitless ceasefire talks, Netanyahu this week said Israeli forces would fight on until "total victory."
The conflict in Gaza began on Oct. 7 when Hamas terrorists stormed border defenses to attack Israeli towns, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 hostages back to Gaza.
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