Biden speaks with Netanyahu as Israelis appear closer to major Rafah offensive

By ZEKE MILLER and AAMER MADHANI
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have spoken as Israel appears closer to launching a major military operation on the southern Gaza city of Rafah. But soon after Israel announced it was ordering about 100,000 Palestinians to begin evacuating from Rafah, Hamas said in a statement it has accepted an Egyptian-Qatari proposal for a cease-fire to halt the seven-month-long war. An Israeli military spokesman says Israel will continue its operations in Gaza as Israeli officials deliberate the cease-fire proposal approved by Hamas. And the Israeli War Cabinet voted unanimously to approve a Rafah military operation but will continue cease-fire efforts. The White House says Biden on Monday reiterated to Netanyahu U.S. concerns about an invasion of Rafah.