In a significant development, US President Joe Biden has joined the international chorus calling on Israel to abandon its proposed full-scale military assault on Rafah, a city in southern Gaza.

This plea comes in the aftermath of a hostage rescue operation that resulted in the death of dozens of Palestinians.  Addressing the media after discussions with Jordan's King Abdullah at the White House, President Biden emphasized the need for a credible plan to ensure the safety of over a million people sheltering in Rafah.

He expressed concern for the vulnerable population, many of whom have been displaced multiple times due to ongoing violence.  The President revealed that the US has been working tirelessly on negotiating a six-week pause in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, with hopes for a more extended ceasefire.

While he acknowledged progress in key elements of the deal, he admitted that some gaps still existed.  The situation in Gaza remains dire, with the Hamas-controlled health ministry reporting 28,473 Palestinians killed and 68,146 wounded in Israeli strikes since October 7th.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu lauded the soldiers involved in the successful rescue operation of two Israeli hostages in Rafah, describing it as a "perfect operation." However, the Israeli military's airstrikes in support of the rescue claimed the lives of at least 67 Palestinians, according to reports. Hamas later alleged additional casualties among Israeli hostages due to the bombardment. 

EU's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, strongly criticized Netanyahu, stating that he "doesn't listen to anyone." Borrell challenged Netanyahu's assurances of evacuating refugees from Rafah before a major military offensive, questioning where they would be relocated.

UN's human rights chief, Volker Türk, urged influential parties to restrain rather than enable further escalation. Despite warnings from aid agencies and the international community, Netanyahu has reiterated his intent to extend Israel's offensive.  Hamas warned that a new advance into Rafah would jeopardize ongoing negotiations for the return of hostages in exchange for a ceasefire.

In the early hours of Monday, Israeli forces launched airstrikes on Rafah during a raid to rescue the two hostages, resulting in casualties among residents. The freed hostages, Fernando Simon Marman (60) and Louis Har (70), taken from the Nir Yitzhak kibbutz on October 7th, were confirmed to be in "good condition" after being transported to a hospital in central Israel.

The Israeli military spokesperson, Daniel Hagari, reported a series of attacks during the 90-minute operation. However, Hamas later claimed casualties among hostages due to the heavy Israeli airstrikes accompanying the rescue mission.

These claims remain unverified, with past information from Hamas on hostages being deemed unreliable