Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that the military operation into Gaza’s Rafah, where 1.4 million Palestinians are sheltering in tent cities, would put Israel within weeks of “total victory” over Hamas.

According to AFP, negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza have resumed in Doha, state-linked Egyptian media reported, but Netanyahu said any deal would not prevent the Rafah offensive.

“If we have a (ceasefire) deal, it will be delayed somewhat, but it will happen,” he told CBS.

“If we don’t have a deal, we’ll do it anyway. It has to be done, because total victory is our goal, and total victory is within reach — not months away, weeks away, once we begin the operation.”

“We’re all working on it. We want it. I want it. Because we want to liberate the remaining hostages,” Netanyahu said.

“I can’t tell you if we’ll have it, but if Hamas goes down from its delusional claims and brings them down to Earth, we’ll have the progress that we all want.”

Asked about US demands for Israel to protect civilians in Rafah, Netanyahu said his military chiefs would on Sunday show him “a dual plan — a plan to evacuate and a plan to dismantle those remaining (Hamas) battalions. “