Israel plays down Hamas move on Gaza ceasefire, hits Rafah
ISRAEL played down the likelihood of a ceasefire in Gaza after Hamas said it had accepted a proposal from mediators, even as residents fled the city of Rafah in fear of an Israeli assault. The last-minute moves towards a ceasefire came as Israeli forces struck Rafah on Gaza's southern edge and ordered residents out of parts of the city, which has served as the last refuge for more than a million displaced Gazans. Hamas said in a brief statement that its chief, Ismail Haniyeh, had informed Qatari and Egyptian mediators that the group accepted their proposal for a ceasefire. The…
