- Netanyahu defies global criticism
- Plans Rafah offensive
- Aims to eliminate Hamas threats
In defiance of international condemnation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reaffirmed his resolve to commence an offensive in Rafah.
Approximately 1.5 million Palestinians seeking refuge from other regions of Gaza have crowded into the city.
His remarks follow the German chancellor’s reiteration of his opposition to the proposal while travelling to the Middle East.
However, according to Mr. Netanyahu, “no international pressure will halt Israel” from accomplishing all of its war objectives.
“At a cabinet meeting, Mr Netanyahu stated, “Suspension of the war before the completion of all objectives would indicate Israel’s defeat, and we will not tolerate this.”
Assuring that Gaza “no longer poses a threat” and eradicating Hamas are the objectives of Israel’s ongoing conflict, he stated.
For this reason, we will conduct business in Rafah as well.
The city-based offensive at the southernmost point of the Gaza Strip, according to Mr. Netanyahu, “will occur” and “will take several weeks.”
He further criticized his detractors, posing, “Do you have such a limited memory?
You forgot [October 7], the most heinous atrocity committed against Jews since the Holocaust, with such haste.
Approximately 1,200 Israelis were slain, and over 250 were taken hostage as a result of those attacks, which ignited the current conflict.
Per the health ministry in Gaza, which Hamas controls, the death toll exceeds 31,400.
On Sunday, the Israeli leader conferred with Olaf Scholz, chancellor of Germany.
Mr Scholz told reporters at a joint news conference that he spoke with Mr Netanyahu regarding the critical nature of delivering “comprehensive humanitarian aid supplies” to the people of Gaza. Conditions for aid distribution “must be drastically and immediately improved,” he emphasized.
Along with a more durable ceasefire in Gaza, he stated that a hostage agreement for Israelis that Hamas captured on October 7 was essential.
Before launching a ground offensive in Rafah, the German leader stated he advised his Israeli counterpart to think “humanitarian logic” through.
In response, Mr. Netanyahu stated, “[Israel’s] objective of removing the remaining terrorist battalions from Rafah is concomitant with facilitating the evacuation of the city’s civilian population.”
“We will not do that while maintaining population control,” the Israeli leader further stated.
The international community has harshly criticized Israel’s plans, with the United Nations and the United States both stating that a full-scale assault in Rafah could have catastrophic results.
Friday, the chief of the World Health Organization of the United Nations, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, urged Israel “in the name of humanity” not to launch such an assault on the southernmost city of Gaza.
The United States claims to have not yet seen a detailed Israeli plan for Rafah, and President Joe Biden has issued a “red line” warning to Israel against expanding its invasion of the city.
The strained relationship between the United States and Israel is progressively intensifying.
President Biden has now endorsed the unprecedented vehement condemnation made by Chuck Schumer, the majority leader of the Senate, which effectively demanded the replacement of Mr Netanyahu.
The Israeli prime minister is confident that the pro-Israeli American lobby continues to support him.
However, there is a potential risk that as the US election approaches, the Biden administration may opt to reduce military aid to appease Americans who are dissatisfied with its support for Israel.
However, on Friday, the office of Mr. Netanyahu authorized preparations for a military operation in Rafah and stated that the army was making arrangements to evacuate civilians.
According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), displaced Palestinians in Gaza will be relocated to “humanitarian islands” located in the centre of the territory. It is unknown how the “islands” will function or their appearance.
It would require time and personnel to evacuate an estimated 1.4 million Gazans from Rafah, and the Israeli military is already overburdened with aid distribution and combat.
Doing so would necessitate locating safe havens and supplying sustenance and water in the lonely desolation of Gaza; therefore, the commencement of an offensive there could be delayed, if it occurs at all.
Earlier, while speaking in Jordan, Mr. Scholz mentioned the necessity for a “longer-lasting truce.”
Qatar was anticipated to recommence ceasefire negotiations in the coming days. Israel had intended to participate in the talks with a delegation; however, the ministers had yet to reach a consensus regarding the delegation’s mandate.
Israel has been increasingly criticized for the number of civilian casualties in Gaza and for aid shortages that have fueled famine concerns.
Chuck Schumer, majority leader of the United States Senate, demanded that Israel conduct elections to replace Mr. Netanyahu on Thursday.
The prime minister condemned the remarks as “completely inappropriate” and stated that they ought to be focusing on overthrowing “Hamas’ tyranny.”
This is classic Benjamin Netanyahu: retaliating against critics and consolidating power in the face of escalating domestic and international pressure.
As time passes, he is progressively confined: chimed in by subordinates of his government, increasingly reviled by the families of the hostages, and criticized by impatient Western allies.
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Led by his more bellicose far-right ministers, the Israeli prime minister appears determined to continue the war and believes that a traumatized Israel still supports the offensive in Gaza despite all the criticism here.
Despite this, the majority of Israelis continue to support an offensive to defeat Hamas and retrieve the hostages.
However, he may also be speaking harshly about Rafah to increase the pressure on Hamas before the upcoming ceasefire negotiations in Doha, to which Israel will dispatch a delegation.
He acknowledges that his political career may also be in jeopardy once the conflict concludes.
