Tony Shaffer Tells Newsmax: Possible Rafah Incursion Imminent by Tuesday

Hamas is likely to withdraw from its willingness for a five-year cease-fire with Israel, leading to Israel’s planned incursion into Rafah starting early this week, according to retired Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer, the president of Project Sentinel, speaking on Newsmax Sunday.

“I don’t think the Israelis have much choice but to proceed with the plan for Rafah,” Shaffer, appearing with former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker on Newsmax’s “Sunday Report,” commented. “When Hamas backs out on Monday, I believe it will give the Israelis the final push to move forward.”

Shaffer predicts that “ground operations will likely commence by Tuesday this week in Rafah.”

Senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya, the Deputy Chair of Hamas in Gaza, recently stated in an interview that the group is willing to agree to a five-year cease-fire in exchange for a “fully sovereign” Palestinian state in the 1967 borders and the return of Palestinian refugees.

Volker agreed that Hamas is unlikely to want the cease-fire.

“Hamas wants to keep the hostages as leverage against Israel’s actions,” he said. “Israel needs to eliminate the remaining Hamas presence, close down tunnels, and separate civilians from militants, and Hamas is using hostages to prevent this.”

Shaffer believes the information is meant to pressure Israel, but they will push forward despite this.

“There’s too much at stake to settle for half-measures,” he said. “They must go all the way. Like in the movie ‘Apocalypse Now,’ don’t get off the boat unless you go all the way. That’s their only option.”

Meanwhile, the United States is constructing a temporary pier on Gaza’s coastline to facilitate humanitarian aid, but Shaffer noted that Hamas terrorists are attacking the pier site. This poses distribution challenges once aid reaches the beach and goes inland, making it a dangerous situation.

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