Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel has set a date for its planned offensive in Gaza’s city Rafah.
His government has been signalling its intentions to launch a military operation in the southern city, where more than 1.5m Palestinians are sheltering, for several weeks.
Mr Netanyahu said the planned offensive was necessary for “the elimination of terrorist battalions there”.
World leaders have urged Israel not to go ahead with the plan for weeks.
In a joint intervention on Tuesday, the leaders of Egypt, France and Jordan warned Israel the offensive would have “dangerous consequences” and “threaten regional escalation”.
On Monday, the Israeli leader said a date to begin the Rafah offensive had been agreed internally but provided no further details.
Mr Netanyahu’s comments came as talks between Hamas and Israel over a hostage-prisoner swap and ceasefire deal continued in Egypt
