AMNA NAWAZ: Today, Israeli Prime Minister# Benjamin Netanyahu announced he had approved## plans to assault Rafah in Southern Gaza,# where more than half of all Gazans have fled.

But that warning arrived as Netanyahu and# international mediators also acknowledged## that negotiations for a cease-fire had advanced.

Nick Schifrin is here now to break it all down.

Nick, good to see you.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Thanks, Amna.

AMNA NAWAZ: So, le.. What do we know?

NICK SCHIFRIN: So Netanyahu met with -- fi.. his war cabinet and the larger security# cabinet.

You see them right there.

And## they approved a plan to assault Rafah# and move the majority of Gazans out.

Now, he didn't release any details, but you# can see the problem right there.

More than## half of all of the strip is living in Rafah.# And the military earlier this week said they## would move to quote humanitarian islands,# again, no details of what that actually means.

Now, Israeli leaders are unified about# the need to go into Rafah because they## say Hamas' final four battalions# are based there, and they believe## that defeating those battalions militarily# is the only way to actually win the war.

But the U.S., frankly, is deeply skeptical# that Israel is ever going to come up with## a plan that will actually protect# those 1.4 million people in Gaza,## as you saw reflected by Secretary# of State Tony Blinken today.

ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. Secretary of State:# We have to see a clear and implementable## plan not only to get civilians out of# harm's way, but also to make sure that,## once out of harm's way, they're# appropriately cared for with shelter,## with food, with medicine, with clothing.# And we have not yet seen such a plan.

NICK SCHIFRIN: But the U.S. also understands that# Israel is serious about going into Rafah, and## that's, Amna, what is leading to such a huge push# right now to try and get that cease-fire done.

AMNA NAWAZ: And the negotiations for# that cease-fire, we mentioned they## do seem to be moving along.

Where do they stand?

NICK SCHIFRIN: So, Hamas has submitted# a counterproposal to the latest Israeli## and international proposal, and a regional# official tells me that it actually advances## in two significant aspects, the fact that# Hamas is now asking that the permanent## cease-fire can be negotiated after the# first round of release of hostages.

They have been saying that that permanent# part of the cease-fire needs to be guaranteed## before they released any hostages.

And Hamas is# willing to release female Israeli soldiers.

Now,## the overall framework for the negotiation is,## as we have been reporting, Hamas would release# 35 to 40 female, elderly and sick hostages.

In return, Israel would cease fire for six# weeks, increase humanitarian aid into Gaza,## and release Palestinian detainees.

Now,# where the two sides still have gaps,## Israel is objecting to the number of Palestinian# detainees that Hamas is demanding, and they are## rejecting Hamas' desire for how Gaza residents# would return to their homes in the north.

Now, publicly, Netanyahu is calling Hamas' demands# -- quote -- "unrealistic and ridiculous," but the## fact is that he's sending his negotiators to# Doha to continue negotiations this weekend.

AMNA NAWAZ: Nick, meanwhile, all of this is# unfolding during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

What does that mean for how negotiators,## how people here in Washington and the Arab# allies are working towards a cease-fire?

NICK SCHIFRIN: They are looking at one fact, and# that is that the U.N. says one-quarter of Gaza is## on the brink of famine.

It is the humanitarian# crisis that is really leading these efforts.

And there has been a big increase# to try and get humanitarian aid in,## especially this week, perhaps# most publicly by ship.

Just today,## a World Central Kitchen ship landed# in Gaza, delivering 200 tons of rice,## flour and other food.

Another ship is right behind# it.

The U.S. dropped its 11 airdrop of food today.

The international organizations say there# is no replacement for trucks.

Hundreds and## hundreds of humanitarian aid trucks# need to get into Gaza, they say.

Now,## Israel says there are no restrictions# on trucks, and they blame the lack of## aid on U.N. capacity.

But those international# organizations are blaming Israeli restrictions.

And that lack of aid, of course, also that# 30,000 death toll, according to the Hamas-run## Gaza Health Ministry, is really pushing# for international pressure on Netanyahu.## And that international pressure here in# the U.S. perhaps crescendoed yesterday.

We saw in the Senate, Senate Majority# Leader Chuck Schumer calling for new## elections in Israel, saying that Netanyahu# had -- quote -- "lost his way."

And, today,## President Biden essentially# endorsed Schumer's call.

JOE BIDEN, President of the United# States: He made a good speech,## and I think he expressed a serious concern# shared.. NICK SCHIFRIN: And Netanyahu's allies were# furious about Schumer's speech.

Likud,## Netanyahu's party, even had to say --# quote -- "Israel is not a banana republic."

But the fact is that Israeli polls are# saying that the majority of Israelis want## early elections.

And if they were# held today, Netanyahu would lose.

Congressional officials tell me that Schumer's# speech basically gives President Biden a little## bit of top cover among people who are traditional# supporters of Israel if the president decides to## finally condition military aid, which his aides# say is a possibility.

But it depends, Amna,## on what we have been talking about,# how much humanitarian aid gets in,## those cease-fire talks, and of# course, what Israel does in Rafah.

AMNA NAWAZ: High stakes and a lot of moving parts.

Nick Schifrin, thank you, as always.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Thank you.

AMNA NAWAZ: And, remember, on our YouTube# channel, our "PBS .. show takes a closer look this week at# the latest in the Israel-Hamas war.