Chicago – March 22, 2024
Despite US President Joe Biden’s concerns, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that he is still resolved to launch a foot invasion of Gaza’s southern city of Rafah, where many displaced Palestinians are sheltering.
Netanyahu told MPs on Tuesday that he had made it “absolutely clear” to the US president that “we are determined to complete the elimination of these battalions in Rafah, and there is no way to do that except by going in on the ground.”
Following the two leaders’ conversation on Monday, White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan stated that the US considered that assaulting Rafah would be a “mistake” and that Israel could achieve its military objectives through other ways.
On Tuesday, Netanyahu stated that he would wait to hear ideas from the US “out of respect for the president” about how to safeguard the civilian population in Rafah before authorizing the operation.
However, he stated that he saw no alternative to a ground offensive if Israel was to achieve its goal of eliminating Hamas.
According to Israeli sources, Rafah, located on the Egyptian border, is Hamas’ final significant bastion in Gaza. An estimated 1.5 million Palestinians—more than half of Gaza’s population—have sought safety in Rafah after escaping conflict elsewhere in the Strip.
The White House has stated that it will not back a Rafah operation until Israelis offer a realistic plan to safeguard the safety of Palestinian civilians.
