A senior Israeli source told Israel Hayom that an operation in Rafah could be "a matter of days" as Yahya Sinwar does not want a deal or care about the suffering of the Gazan population.
According to the source, Israel is not fooled by Sinwar's foot-dragging, which is why the country is not involved in the mediators' efforts to save the deal.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Netanyahu made it clear in a speech to graduates of the IDF's officers' course that Rafah is not off limits, and that those who wish Israel to stay out of Rafah wish it to lose the war.
According to Axios, President Biden is reportedly set to announce a plan to establish an offshore port near the Gaza Strip to help unload humanitarian aid in his State of the Union speech to Congress tonight (Thursday).