Top stories: 1) Israeli Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz notes that the only way for Israel to delay its ground-offensive into Rafah would be for Hamas to accept a hostage release deal. 2) Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas calls on the international community to recognize a Palestinian state – irrespective of reality on the ground. 3) Egypt insinuates that it would assist the Palestinian population in the event of an Israeli offensive into Rafah.