Israel to enter Rafah 'with or without' Gaza truce: Netanyahu

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that the Israeli military will launch a ground offensive in Rafah "with or without" a truce with Hamas in Gaza.

"The idea that we will halt the war before achieving all of its goals is out of the question. We will enter Rafah and we will eliminate the Hamas battalions there with or without a deal, in order to achieve the total victory," Netanyahu told representatives of hostages' families, according to a statement issued by his office.

His remarks came after cautious hopes were building for a Gaza truce and hostage release deal as Hamas said it was studying the latest proposal.

The Palestinian group said it was considering a plan for a 40-day ceasefire and the release of scores of hostages for larger numbers of Palestinian prisoners.

The Islamist group, whose envoys returned from Cairo talks to their base in Qatar, would "discuss the ideas and the proposal," said a Hamas source, adding that "we are keen to respond as quickly as possible."

Sources in Egypt told Al-Qahera News, a site linked to Egyptian intelligence services, that Hamas envoys were due to "return with a written response."

Meanwhile, a top Israeli official said the government will wait until today night for a Hamas response to the Gaza truce proposal before deciding whether to send envoys to Cairo for ceasefire talks.

"Israel will make a decision once Hamas provides their answer," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity, adding that "we will wait for answers until Wednesday night and then decide."

Facing strong criticism abroad and rising fury on U.S. university campuses, U.S. President Joe Biden urged the Egyptian and Qatari leaders on April 29 "to exert all efforts to secure the release...