In a bold move that signals a growing rift between Israel and the United States, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared his intention to proceed with a military invasion of Rafah, a city on the southern border of the Gaza Strip. This announcement comes in open defiance of President Joe Biden’s strong opposition, who had earlier cautioned that such an offensive would cross a “red line.”
President Biden had stressed his opposition to an escalation of the conflict into Rafah saying: “I cannot accept 30,000 more Palestinians dead.”
The US leader’s stance underscores the increasing strain in the relationship between the two allies.
When questioned about the likelihood of Israeli forces moving into Rafah, Netanyahu remained resolute, telling Politico on Sunday: “We’ll go there. We’re not going to leave them.”
The Israeli Prime Minister drew a stark red line, citing the tragic events of October 7, a reference to the Hamas raid that killed over 1,160 people in Israel and triggered the ongoing conflict.
Netanyahu claimed that he had the silent support of several Arab leaders for the military campaign against Hamas, adding: “They understand that, and even agree with it quietly.”
He further alleged that these leaders acknowledged Hamas’ affiliation with the Iranian terror axis.
Predicting a relatively swift end to the hostilities, Netanyahu continued: “We’ve destroyed three-quarters of Hamas’ fighting terrorism battalions. And we’re close to finishing the last part in warfare.” The Israeli leader estimated the conflict’s conclusion within “maybe six weeks, maybe four.”
Offering grim statistics, Netanyahu projected that around 13,000 Palestinian fighters had been killed, with a civilian death rate estimated at 1-1.5 for every combatant. This would put the total casualties, including fighters and civilians, at over 26,000.
Dismissive of the idea of a ceasefire for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Netanyahu highlighted the absence of progress in negotiations, stating that “Without a release, there’s not going to be a pause in the fighting,” while expressing a desire for another hostage release.
International humanitarian organisations have raised alarms, warning of the potential for widespread civilian casualties if an attack on Rafah were to take place. Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock labeled the potential invasion as a “humanitarian catastrophe”.
