GAZA: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Sunday to send ground forces into Gaza’s southern Rafah city despite growing international pressure over the fate of innocent Palestinian civilians sheltering in the border area.
Netanyahu made the declaration during a cabinet meeting, asserting that “no amount of international pressure will stop us from realizing all the goals of the war.” He emphasized Israel’s intention to operate in Rafah, which is now home to nearly 1.5 million displaced Palestinians sheltering Israeli bombardment near the Egyptian border.
The announcement comes as world leaders express apprehension over the potential humanitarian consequences of an invasion. US President Joe Biden has labeled a Rafah incursion a “red line” without credible measures to protect civilians, while UN World Health Organisation chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged Israel “in the name of humanity” to refrain from launching an assault on Rafah.
Efforts to negotiate a ceasefire and hostage release deal are underway, with envoys planning to meet in Qatar soon. A proposal from a Palestinian resistance group Hamas calls for an Israeli withdrawal from all cities and populated areas in Gaza during a six-week truce, along with increased humanitarian aid.
Israel plans to attend the talks, with cabinet members due to “decide on the mandate of the delegation in charge of the talks before its departure for Doha”, Netanyahu’s office said, without giving a date for when they would leave.
Meanwhile, the conflict in Gaza continues, with overnight Israeli bombardment killing at least 61 Palestinians, including 12 members of the same family. The dire humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to worsen, with shortages of medications reported and a spike in malnutrition and disease cases.
Over 31,645 Palestinians Killed in Gaza Since Oct 7
Since October 7, Israel’s relentless bombardment campaign has killed at least 31,645 Palestinians in Gaza, most of them women and children, according to the health ministry.
Despite domestic pressure, particularly concerning the remaining captives, Netanyahu remains steadfast in his resolve to pursue military action in Gaza. As tensions escalate and the humanitarian crisis deepens, international efforts to broker a ceasefire and alleviate the suffering of civilians remain ongoing.
Israeli shelling was reported in south Gaza’s main city of Khan Younis and elsewhere. More than five months of Israeli bombardment and siege have led to dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza, where the UN has repeatedly warned of looming famine for the coastal territory’s 2.4 million people.
As the flow of aid trucks into Gaza has slowed, a second ship was due to depart from Cyprus along a new maritime corridor to bring food and relief goods, said officials of the island nation.
On Saturday the US charity World Central Kitchen said its team had finished unloading supplies from a barge towed by Spanish aid vessel Open Arms which had pioneered the sea route.
Jordan on Sunday announced the latest aid airdrop over northern Gaza together with German, US and Egyptian aircraft.
The United Nations has reported particular difficulty in accessing the north, where residents say they have resorted to eating animal fodder, and where some have stormed the few aid trucks that have made it through.
