Reports in Israeli and American media report that Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallad assured his American counterpart Lloyd Austin yesterday Tuesday that no date has yet been set for a wide-scale launch ground attack on Rafa.

What Mr. Gallant said yesterday is the exact opposite of what he announced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday Monday, according to the sources cited by the reports in the digital editions of two Israeli newspapers (Times of Israel, Haaretz) and an American news website (Axios).

The day before yesterday, Mr. Netanyahu announced that a date had been set—without revealing what it was—for the start of the attack on the city at the southern end of the Gaza Strip, on the closed border with Egypt, where some 1.5 million Palestinians have taken refuge. in the great majority displaced from other areas of the enclave.

Instead, Mr. Gallant reportedly told Mr. Austin during their telephone conversation that Israeli plans for the rapid evacuation of civilians and the operation are still in the finalization stage.

The US, Israel’s most important international ally, has repeatedly warned Israel against conducting such an operation in Rafah, estimating that it would have a heavy civilian toll.

A meeting is planned next week to discuss the concerns of the American side, the head of American diplomacy, Anthony Blinken, said yesterday.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is under pressure by far-right ministers in his government to order an invasion of Rafah, according to him the last stronghold of Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Following the withdrawal of Israeli armed forces units from Han Yunis (south), far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said yesterday via X that “if the prime minister decides to end the war without attacking Rafah to defeat Hamas, he will not he will now have the mandate to continue serving as prime minister.”

A few hours later, Mr. Netanyahu announced that a date had been set. Yesterday he returned, promising that the Israeli army would destroy “all” Hamas battalions, not excluding those in Rafah. “No force in the world will stop us,” he lamented, asserting that “many forces are trying, but nothing will help (them).”