Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Saturday that the Israeli military must proceed with its operation in Rafah, a densely populated city home to approximately 1.4 million Palestinians in the southern Gaza Strip, stating that failure to do so would mean “losing the war” against Hamas.
In light of Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7th, Netanyahu pledged to “eliminate Hamas” and emphasized during a press conference in Jerusalem that the Rafah operation would be carried out “even if an agreement for the release of hostages,” who are still in the Gaza Strip, is reached.
Netanyahu declared, “Even if we achieve that, we will enter Rafah.”
Israel is facing a barrage of international calls, including from its ally, the United States, to refrain from conducting a military operation in the overcrowded city of Rafah, filled with displaced individuals.
The military insists that it aims to evacuate civilians from the area to minimize human losses, without disclosing details of any such operation.
Netanyahu stated that any settlement “will only be reached through direct negotiations between the parties, without preconditions,” rejecting Hamas’s conditions.
Under my leadership, “Israel will continue its strong opposition to any unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state,” the Prime Minister added.
He continued, “After the terrible massacre on October 7th, there can be no greater reward for terrorism than this, and it will prevent any peaceful settlement in the future.”
Netanyahu’s statements coincided with thousands of Israelis protesting in Tel Aviv, accusing the government of abandoning the hostages taken in the October 7th attack, who are still held in Gaza.
Protestors chanted, describing the government as “blood-stained” and calling for negotiations.