Despite warnings from the international community, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, remains firm on his decision to execute a planned military offensive in the city of Rafah, located in the southern Gaza Strip. Speaking at a televised press conference on Saturday, Netanyahu argued that anyone urging Israel to abandon the Offensive is effectively advocating for the country to “lose the war” against the radical Islamic group Hamas.
Netanyahu assured that, prior to the commencement of an offensive, measures will be put in place to enable civilians residing in the combat zones to relocate to safer areas.
Netanyahu: Offensive to continue irrespective of hostage deal
Further, the Prime Minister indicated that the offensive would proceed even if a deal is struck with Hamas for the release of Israeli hostages. “Regardless of whether such an agreement is reached, we will advance into Rafah,” he asserted.
The proposal to expand Israeli operations in the densely populated city has been met with considerable international disapproval, with even the USA, Israel’s primary ally, cautioning against it.
Netanyahu’s stance on negotiations with Hamas
Additionally, Netanyahu justified his decision to pull out from negotiations with Hamas. He criticized the group’s unrealistic demands, which include ending the war, maintaining Hamas in its existing form, releasing thousands of prisoners from Israeli jails, and making concessions on a sacred site in Jerusalem. “In the talks moderated by Egypt and Qatar concerning a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of over 100 Israeli hostages, Hamas offered no concessions,” he claimed. “There has been absolutely no progress. We will only consider returning to the negotiating table when that changes.”
President Herzog: Advocates for normalization of relations with Saudi Arabia
Meanwhile, Israel’s President Yitzhak (Isaac) Herzog expressed his support for normalizing relations with Saudi Arabia. He believes that progress in this direction would be a significant victory over Hamas’ actions. Herzog stated at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday that one of Hamas’ objectives in its October 7 attack on Israel was to disrupt negotiations about establishing relations with Saudi Arabia. He described the effort to normalize relations as a “very important historic opportunity” that should be seized by all parties involved.
Details about the planned offensive
Israel is planning an offensive on Rafah, a city where approximately 1.4 million Palestinians have sought refuge due to the ongoing conflict. In a bid to negotiate a ceasefire and secure the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, a fresh round of talks was initiated on Tuesday in Cairo, Egypt. However, so far, the negotiations facilitated by the USA, Egypt, and Qatar have not yielded any tangible outcomes.
Recounting the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre
On October 7, Hamas militants, classified as a terrorist organization by the EU and the USA, infiltrated Israel and carried out brutal attacks, primarily targeting civilians. As per Israeli reports, around 1,160 people were killed, and approximately 250 were taken hostage to the Gaza Strip. Out of these hostages, 130 are believed to still be in the Palestinian territory, with 30 reported dead.
In retaliation to the Hamas attack, Israel declared its objective to dismantle Hamas. Hamas claims, which cannot be independently verified, state that the extensive military operation in the Gaza Strip has resulted in over 28,800 casualties.
