Despite the warnings, Netanyahu promised ‘strong action’ in Rafah
RONEN ZVULUN / AFP
“We will fight until complete victory,” the Israeli prime minister announced before the start of a major operation in Rafah.
International – Netanyahu stays the course. After receiving pressure from the French president on the more than alarming situation in Rafah, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu still promised “powerful” This Wednesday, February 14 military operations.
This “Powerful action in Rafah » Now recorded, “after” allowed the civilian population to leave the city in the south of the Gaza Strip, where a large proportion of Palestinian residents had taken refuge since the start of the Israeli offensive.
“We will fight until total victory”he added in a message in Hebrew on his official Telegram account.
About 1.4 million people, according to the UN, the most displaced by the war, are crammed into the sprawling camp-turned-city, the only major urban center in the region where the military has not yet begun operations. ‘Attack. Well almost. During the night from Sunday to Monday, the Israeli army conducted an operation to free two Israeli hostages in Rafah.
An objective achieved by Tel Aviv, but one that created “About a hundred dead” Palestinian side. “ This week we freed two of our hostages in a careful military operation. So far, we have freed 112 of our hostages through a combination of strong military pressure and firm negotiations.”he added in a video on Wednesday evening.
“This is the key to freeing the rest of our hostages: strong military pressure and very firm negotiations. In this sense, I insist that Hamas drop its delusional demands. When it drops its demands, we will be able to move forward.”He continued.
Negotiations are ongoing in Cairo
The Israeli prime minister’s comments come amid talks between Israel and Hamas for a new ceasefire. This Wednesday, despite many fears from the international community about Rafah’s future, talks continued in Cairo.
Benjamin Netanyahu did not elaborate on Hamas’ demands, but according to sources in the Palestinian Islamic Movement, the latter is asking for Hamas’s demands. “Complete Ceasefire”While Israel pleads for a ceasefire in the fighting, with the release of 130 hostages still held in Gaza.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on his Hamas rivals to conclude “immediately” Armistice agreement for “avoid attack” Who against Rafah “will result in thousands of victims”.
A speech was also given by Emmanuel Macron, who spoke with his Israeli counterpart this Wednesday. The French president said that Israel’s operations in Gaza “had to stop” because “The Human Toll and the Humanitarian Situation” is “Intolerable”. But above all he insisted “There was an urgent need to conclude, without further delay, an agreement on a cease-fire that would finally guarantee the protection of all civilians and access to large-scale emergency aid”.
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