US Secretary of State Antony Blinken believed it was time to pressure the "Israeli" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his war cabinet more forcefully, according to the New York Times.

Sources told the American newspaper that Washington had expected "Israel" to initiate the third phase of the war in January and withdraw troops from Gaza.

However, with the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) withdrawal delayed, aides to President Joe Biden discussed whether Netanyahu's government was being deceitful or was genuinely stuck in the conflict.

Also Read: Israeli Occupation army demands evacuation of Rafah amidst invasion

Earlier, Israeli Occupation army spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, has posted on the X platform demanding residents to evacuate residential areas in Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip.

Adraee's tweet stated: "A call to all residents and displaced people in the Jabalia area and the Al-Salam and Al-Nour neighborhoods, Tal Al-Zaatar, the Beit Lahia project, the Jabalia camp, Ezbet Mallin, Al-Rawda, Al-Nuzha, Al-Jurn, Al-Nahda, and Al-Zuhour - go immediately to the shelters west of Gaza City!"