Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has fought back against condemnation over a potential offensive in the Gaza city of Rafah, saying those advising against it are “telling us to lose the war”.
Leaders and officials around the world, including US President Joe Biden and UK Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron, have continually warned Mr Netanyahu against sending troops into Rafah, with particular concern about civilians who are sheltering there.
But speaking during a press conference on Saturday, Mr Netanyahu seemed to hit out at forewarnings, saying: “Whoever is telling us not to operate in Rafah is telling us to lose the war.”
“I will not have a part in this,” he added, saying the political campaign he is leading has allowed Israel to operate with “unprecedented freedom of action for five months”.
It comes as the prime minister confirmed his office has ordered the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) to develop a plan to evacuate the city and destroy four Hamas battalions it says are deployed there.
“We’re going to do it. We’re going to get the remaining Hamas terrorist battalions in Rafah,” he said during an interview aired on US network ABC last week.
“We’re going to do it while providing safe passage for the civilian population.”
Around 1.4 million Palestinians are thought to be in Rafah, having evacuated their homes after Israel began its intense bombardment of the densely populated strip in the wake of Hamas’s 7 October attacks.
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Mr Netanyahu’s inability to shift tactics in Gaza has reportedly frustrated President Joe Biden, who warned Mr Netanyahu against sending troops into Rafah without a “credible” plan for protecting civilians.
Lord Cameron added that the UK is “very concerned” about the situation in Rafah and called for Israel to “stop and think seriously” before taking further action.
Two Egyptian officials and a Western diplomat also said Egypt had threatened to suspend its peace treaty with Israel if troops were sent into Rafah.
Egypt is worried fighting could push Palestinians into the Sinai Peninsula and force the closure of Gaza’s main aid supply route.
‘Delusional demands’
The country’s efforts to settle the conflict between Hamas and Israel further stalled after Mr Netanyahu halted truce talks after sending negotiators to Cairo.
When asked why Israeli negotiators did not return for further negotiations, Mr Netanyahu said on Saturday: “We got nothing except for delusional demands from Hamas.”
The demands, he said, included ending the war and leaving Hamas as it is, freeing “thousands of murderers” from Israeli jails.
The Egyptian and Qatari-mediated talks have tried to secure the release of over 100 Israeli hostages being held in the Hamas-ruled territory, but they ended with little change on Tuesday.
“I wanted to say not a millimetre – but there was not a nanometre of change,” Mr Netanyahu said.
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He added Israel would not give in to “international dictates” regarding a statehood agreement with the Palestinians, which he said could only be reached through direct negotiations without preconditions.
In Tel Aviv, thousands gathered outside the military’s headquarters to protest and put pressure on Mr Netanyahu’s government.
Meanwhile, Ismail Haniyeh, a Hamas leader, said the group would not accept anything less than a complete cessation of hostilities, Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and “lifting of the unjust siege,” as well as a release of Palestinian prisoners serving long sentences in Israeli jails.
