Netanyahu warns Israeli troops will pursue planned ground offensive in southern Gaza

AFP | Jerusalem     

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed yesterday that civilians crammed into the southern Gaza Strip would be able to leave before troops enter in pursuit of Hamas fighters.

His comments, alongside visiting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, follow international fears over the fate of the roughly 1.5 million people who have sought refuge in Rafah, most of them displaced from Gaza’s war.

The office of the right-wing premier, whose security and war cabinets were to discuss the latest international efforts towards a truce deal, had on Friday said he approved the military’s plan for an operation in Rafah as well as “the evacuation of the population”.

“Our goal in eliminating the remaining Hamas fighters in Rafah goes hand-in-hand with enabling the civilian population to leave Rafah. It’s not something that we will do while keeping the population locked in place,” Netanyahu said at a press appearance with Scholz.

As others have done, Scholz raised the question: “How should more than 1.5 million people be protected? Where should they go?” The United States - which provides Israel with billions of dollars in military assistance - has said it wants a “clear and implementable plan” to ensure civilians are “out of harm’s way”.

Before meeting Scholz, Netanyahu told a cabinet meeting that “no amount of international pressure will stop us from realising all the goals of the war”, and that to do this, “we will also operate in Rafah”.

Israel has repeatedly threatened a ground offensive against Hamas in Rafah, where people shelter in tents crammed up against the Egyptian border. UN World Health Organisation chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged against a military operation there, “in the name of humanity”.

Tedros said “this humanitarian catastrophe must not be allowed to worsen”. Netanyahu leads a coalition of religious and ultra-nationalist parties. His failure to bring home the hostages taken by Hamas fighters during their attack which started the war has led to mounting protests within his country as well as domestic calls for early elections.