MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The administration of US President Joe Biden is offering Israel secret intelligence that will help locate Hamas leaders and find its underground infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, in exchange for Israel refusing a full-scale military operation in Rafah, The Washington Post reported, citing sources.
US officials have also offered to help provide thousands of shelters for Palestinians evacuated from Rafah, the report said on Saturday.
Washington is also working with Cairo to find and close tunnels that cross the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip in the Rafah area, which Hamas used to replenish military supplies, the report added.
In the night from Monday to Tuesday, the Israeli army started a military operation in the eastern parts of Rafah and took control of the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing with Egypt. Israeli authorities say the operation is aimed at eliminating the remaining battalions of Palestinian movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip. On Friday, Israeli media reported that Israel’s military cabinet had approved expanding the ground operation in Rafah.
