Israeli PM Netanyahu reiterates intent to begin military operations in Rafah

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his stand on Sunday to begin military operations in the southern Gaza metropolis of Rafah, stating that Israel needs to be sure that an assault comparable to October 7 will not occur once more, as reported by CNN.

“We’ll go there. We’re not going to leave. You know, I have a red line. You know what the red line is? That October 7 doesn’t happen again. Never happens again. And to do that, we have to complete the destruction of the Hamas terrorist army,” he mentioned. 

Netanyahu mentioned the operation wouldn’t final greater than two months however didn’t present specifics on the timeline.

The Israeli PM additionally defended his insurance policies in the Gaza Strip and responded to US President Joe Biden’s comment that the Israeli chief is “hurting Israel more than helping.” 

“I don’t know exactly what the president meant, but if he meant by that, that I’m pursuing private policies against the wish of the majority of Israelis, and that this is hurting the interests of Israel then he’s wrong on both counts,” Netanyahu mentioned in an interview with Politico and German media outlet Bild, CNN reported. 

Biden made his remarks throughout an interview with MSNBC that aired Saturday when he mentioned Netanyahu “must pay more attention to the innocent lives being lost as a consequence of the actions taken” in Gaza. Meanwhile, the Hamas political chief, Ismail Haniyeh, mentioned the militant group continues to be open to continued mediated talks with Israel after the edges failed to attain a truce settlement earlier than Ramadan.But he additionally insisted {that a} everlasting ceasefire in Gaza and the withdrawal of all Israeli forces is the one approach ahead to an settlement, CNN reported. “We have established the most important principle for reaching an agreement, which is a comprehensive ceasefire and an end to the war on Gaza, the complete withdrawal of the occupation army from all the territory of the Gaza Strip,” Haniyeh mentioned in a televised speech Sunday.

Haniyeh claimed that Israel “has so far evaded giving clear guarantees and commitments, especially on the subject of a ceasefire, that is, stopping the aggressive war on the Gaza Strip.” 

He mentioned hostages in Gaza won’t be able to return house “without an agreement.”In February, Israeli warfare cupboard minister Benny Gantz warned that Israel would develop military operations into Rafah, the southernmost metropolis in Gaza, if hostages weren’t returned by Ramadan. 

(This story has not been edited by DNA workers and is printed from ANI)