Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu promised on Tuesday, April 30 (11 July) that if there is an agreement with the Hamas group on the release of hostages and a ceasefire or not, the country’s defense forces will be deployed in the town of Rafah in the south of Gaza. conduct military operations.
Netanyahu, who spoke to the family members of the hostages in his office, said that it is “impossible” to stop the war before achieving all the goals, and he also said that in order to achieve “complete success”, Israel’s defense The forces entered the town of Rafah.
The international community, including the United States, has expressed opposition to Israel’s aggressive operation in Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians have fled the conflict.
However, the Israeli leader said that the Israeli forces must go to this town in order to completely defeat the Hamas group.
This town, which is located on the border of the Gaza Strip and Egypt, has sheltered almost half of the population of Gaza.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said a military attack on the town would lead to an “intolerable escalation of the conflict” and thousands more civilians would be killed and hundreds of thousands more forced to flee.
Mr. Guterres told reporters on Tuesday, “I call on all those who have influence on Israel to use everything in their power to prevent this (Israeli invasion of Rafah).” “.
The warning of Israel’s military operation in Rafah comes at a time when US Secretary of State Anthony Blanken has returned to the region to discuss a cease-fire in Gaza.
Mr. Blanken described Israel’s offer to release the hostages held by Hamas in exchange for a cease-fire in Gaza as “extraordinarily generous” and expressed hope that Hamas would accept it.
Anthony Blanken, who spoke in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, said that the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire at the moment is the Hamas group.
Addressing the Hamas group, Mr. Blanken said, “They (Hamas) must make a decision and they must make a decision soon. I hope they will make the right decision.”
The Secretary of State of the United States made these statements at a time when a delegation of Hamas went to Egypt, which is trying together with Qatar and the United States to stop the fighting in Gaza for six weeks and to release the remaining hostages by the Hamas group. .
The Hamas group wants Israel to stop the war and withdraw completely from Gaza in return for a ceasefire, but Netanyahu is adamant that he will invade the town of Rafah in the south of Gaza by land.
Hamas had previously insisted on a permanent ceasefire, which was rejected by Israel.
The President of the United States, Joe Biden, also encouraged the officials of Qatar and Egypt in a telephone conversation yesterday to convince the Hamas group for a ceasefire.
Israel-Hamas peace talks
US Secretary of State Anthony Blanken on Tuesday once again called on Hamas to accept a cease-fire agreement in Gaza.
Hamas is considering a cease-fire proposal from Egypt, the United States and Egyptian mediators in Cairo. A Hamas source said that they are considering the suggestions and ideas and also said that they will respond as soon as possible.
Anthony Blanken said in Jordan before leaving for Israel, “No more excuses, no more delays. We want to see an agreement in the coming days.”