Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that he still intends to invade the southern Gaza city of Rafah, despite U.S. objections.
“We will complete the elimination of the Hamas battalions, including in Rafah. There is no force in the world that will stop us,” Netanyahu told members of the Israel Defense Forces, CNN reported. “Many forces are trying to do this, but it will not help, because this enemy, after what it has done, will not do it again, it will cease to exist.”
According to Netanyahu, Israel has three goals with a Rafah offensive: “to return the abductees”; “eliminate Hamas"; and “ensure that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel.”
In a video posted on his official Telegram account, Netanyahu added that he has set a date for a Rafah offensive, though he did not reveal it.
Netanyahu's announcement defies “mounting global pressure not to assault a city where more than 1 million Palestinians are sheltering,” NBC News noted. President Joe Biden has urged Netanyahu to call off the invasion, with the White House having expressed "deep concerns" that Israel lacks a plan for protecting civilians.
At the same time, Netanyahu faces political pressure at home. Far-right members of his coalition are insistent that the war in Gaza must go on, while protesters across Israel, unhappy with the prime minister's handling of the country's security, have been demanding that Netanyahu call early elections that could see him thrown out of office.
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