The Israeli Prime Minister announced that the country’s army will attack the city of Rafah to eliminate Hamas battalions, whether there is a truce or not.
“We will attack Rafah because there is no other choice,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on April 30. “We will destroy the Hamas battalions in Rafah and complete all the objectives of the operation, including bringing all the hostages home.”
Mr. Netanyahu confirmed that civilians in Rafah will be evacuated. Israel has not announced the time of the operation against the city in the southern Gaza Strip, where about 1.5 million people from other areas have sought refuge.
“The idea that we stop the campaign before achieving all our goals is absurd,” Netanyahu said. “We will enter Rafah and eliminate the Hamas battalions here, with or without an agreement, to achieve complete victory.”
Israeli soldiers and armor participated in the battle in the Gaza Strip on April 28. Image: IDF
When asked about Prime Minister Netanyahu’s above statement, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken did not comment directly on the issue. Instead, he affirmed that the US’s focus is on reaching an armistice agreement brokered by Egypt and Qatar, and emphasized that Israel has expressed compromise in the negotiations.
Mr. Blinken called on Hamas to accept the truce and release the hostages, without further delay or excuses. The US Secretary of State expressed his desire to see the agreement implemented in the next few days.
“A truce is the best and most effective way to reduce suffering, as well as create an environment that we can hope will lead to something truly sustainable, lasting peace for people who are longing for this,” Secretary Blinken said.
Hamas is considering the new plan proposed during talks in Cairo with the US, Egyptian and Qatari delegations. The group said it was considering a 40-day ceasefire and an exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners.
According to a source close to Hamas, the group’s delegation, after returning from Cairo, will discuss “ideas and proposals” with members in Qatar. An Israeli official said the government “will wait for an answer until the evening of May 1”, then will decide whether to send a delegation to Cairo, Egypt or not.
The US supports Israel after it launched a military campaign in the Gaza Strip in retaliation for the attack in early October 2023 by Hamas. However, Washington is pressuring Tel Aviv to restrain its plans to attack the city of Rafah, while the international community fears the campaign will cause disaster for civilians here.