Israel Defense Forces troops will enter the Hamas stronghold of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip with or without support from the United States, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stressed on Wednesday.
“There were times we agreed with our friends, and there were times we did not agree with them,” the premier said in a pre-recorded video address to Israeli citizens. “Ultimately, we always did what was necessary for our safety, and we will do so this time as well.”
During a phone call with Netanyahu on Monday, U.S. President Joe Biden stated that he could not support a major military offensive against Hamas in Rafah. Instead, the White House favors a limited operation aimed at high-value targets and securing the Gaza-Egypt border. Netanyahu on Wednesday confirmed that “President Biden, whose support I appreciate, asked to present us with proposals by his people, both regarding the humanitarian field and on other issues.
“In the beginning [of the current war], I told the president: Hamas cannot be defeated without the IDF entering Gaza. In our latest conversation, I told him that it is impossible to complete the victory without the IDF entering Rafah and eliminating the remaining Hamas battalions,” he continued.
Netanyahu stressed that “from the very beginning, we agreed that Hamas should be eliminated. However, it’s no secret that during the war, we had differences of opinion about the best way to achieve this goal.” (Read More)
