U.S. has made clear to Israel its views on Rafah operation, State Dept. says

The United States has made its views clear to Israel on a major ground invasion of Rafah, a State Department spokesperson said on Tuesday in Washington's first response since Israeli forces seized control of the border crossing with Gaza.

"We continue to believe that a hostage deal is in the best interest of the Israeli and the Palestinian people; it would bring an immediate ceasefire and allow increased humanitarian assistance into Gaza," the spokesperson said in an email.