Israel has approved a plan for a potential attack on the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip. At the same time, Tel Aviv hopes for a ceasefire and negotiations with Hamas on hostage release, reports Reuters. Allies and critics have called on Israel to refrain from attacking Rafah to avoid mass casualties among civilians. Tel Aviv, on the other hand, says that the city has become a final stronghold for Hamas, which it plans to destroy while evacuating civilians. White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby notes that the United States did not see a plan for storming Rafah. During a…