During two days of meetings between the Israeli Defense Minister and senior officials in the White House and Pentagon, discussions about the planned Israeli military operation in southern Gaza focused not on how to stop it, but rather on how to protect civilians while the operation begins, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.

The practical tone of the talks was marked by a departure from the tone of previous weeks, when senior US officials bluntly warned Israel against launching an all-out attack on Rafah - where more than a million displaced Palestinians have taken refuge - while the Israeli Prime Minister pledged to defy the administration to move forward.

According to experts, the operation (how) to invade Rafah lies at the heart of the growing dispute between Israeli and American political leaders. These tensions escalated on Monday when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled a visit by his senior aides to Washington to discuss American concerns about the planned attack according to the claims of the Israeli Prime Minister, who says there are 5 Hamas brigades in the city, and culminated in Netanyahu canceling the visit, in response to the US abstention from voting on a UN Security Council resolution that called for an immediate ceasefire while also demanding the release of the hostages.

But Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant continued his meetings at the White House and the Pentagon on Monday and Tuesday, which were previously scheduled. Gallant is part of Israel's three-member war cabinet that includes Netanyahu and Benny Gantz, Netanyahu's main political rival.

In a sign that both sides are seeking to stop the escalation, the White House announced on Wednesday that the Israeli delegation’s visit has been rescheduled, with the approval of the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office. “We are working to set a date,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. An Israeli government official said that the White House contacted the Prime Minister's Office to set a new date for the visit.

According to the newspaper’s report: “While President Biden’s relationship with Netanyahu has become strained, the channel between US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Gallant remains strong, and since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, Austin has met with Gallant several times and they have spoken on the phone about 40 times.”

At Gallant's closed-door meetings in Washington, a more realistic conversation began to emerge, with discussions centered around a gradual process to limit potential harm to civilians while ensuring that Israel dismantles the four Hamas brigades in Rafah.

Gallant said after his meetings at the White House: “I think there is an understanding that we have to dismantle Hamas.” Also, in a meeting on Tuesday at the Pentagon, Austin urged his Israeli counterpart to ensure that effective arrangements are in place to protect civilians before launching an Israeli military operation to attack Hamas fighters there.

A US Defense Department official told the newspaper: “There is a sequence.” He added: "The military aspect of the operation should not continue until the humanitarian aspects are fully addressed."

The newspaper says: “The two parties also agreed on the need to expel the Hamas brigades in Rafah so that the militants cannot attempt to return or continue to smuggle weapons into the Gaza Strip, which is a basic condition for ending the war and paving the way for a new political authority in Gaza. This means trying to find ways to work with Israel regarding the Rafah strategy, in light of the lack of better options.”

It is noteworthy that after negotiations in Doha, Qatar, regarding a temporary ceasefire stopped last weekend, Israeli officials informed the mediators that Israel may launch an operation in Rafah as soon as the month of Ramadan ends in approximately mid-April, if efforts to reach an agreement fail, Egyptian officials said on Wednesday. The officials added that talks may resume in person again in Cairo by the end of this week.

The newspaper quotes a senior Israeli official familiar with the talks as saying, “Israel is still open to continuing negotiations, but will consider other options if a breakthrough is not achieved, including launching its planned invasion of Rafah as soon as possible.” The official said: “There is no doubt that "A military operation can help."

The newspaper points out that although a military operation is not imminent, the challenges are enormous. About 1.4 million Palestinians are taking refuge in Rafah, including many who have already fled from other areas of Gaza. The city is also a major entry point for humanitarian aid, and any Israeli military operation, if not carefully designed, could deprive civilians of vital aid and uproot them again.