“Israel can also continue alone”: Prime Minister Netanyahu unimpressed by American pressure to cancel offensive in Rafah

President Biden has made it clear that he will no longer supply offensive weapons to Israel if the country were to launch a ground offensive in Rafah, a city in the south of the Gaza Strip. More than 1.3 million people are currently said to be taking shelter there from the violence of war. The Americans have been concerned about these plans for some time: an offensive would cause a bloodbath, the United States says. Other Western countries have also asked Israel to abandon the plans.

However, Israel does not want to give in to international pressure. According to the government, thousands of Hamas fighters are hiding in the city. In addition, there are indications that several Israeli hostages are being held in Rafah. A few days ago, Israeli tanks took over the border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip. The army also stepped up air raids on the city.

It was previously announced that an arms shipment from the United States had been delayed. It was later announced that Washington had suspended the package due to concerns over Rafah. Other arms deliveries are now being “reviewed”, it was said yesterday. Biden indicated yesterday that American bombs are partly responsible for civilian casualties in the Gaza Strip. Nearly 35,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war.