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Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that the IDF would advance into Rafah, and that “no force in the world” can stop the looming invasion of the Gazan city which currently houses about 1.4 million displaced Palestinians.
Netanyahu’s comments came while addressing new IDF recruits where he claimed that Israel will eradicate Hamas.
The Israeli prime minister’s comments come despite mounting pressure from the United States and European leaders to not invade Rafah in the absence of an adequate civilian evacuation plan.
“We will complete the elimination of the Hamas battalions, including in Rafah,” Netanyahu said.
Israel says that Rafah is the operating site of four of the remaining six battalions of Hamas that are aided by the presence of other Palestinian militant groups.
“There is no force in the world that will stop us,” he added. “Many forces are trying to do this, but it will not help, because this enemy, after what it has done, will not do it again. It will cease to exist.”
The Israeli prime minister stated that Israel’s primary goal remains the safe return of all hostages who remain captives of Hamas since the October 7 attack.
It remains unclear how many of the remaining 133 hostages are alive. At least five of them are US citizens.
Netanyahu’s purported warning comes just a day after he claimed that there was a scheduled date for the Rafah incursion.
The US has told Netanyahu that a proper plan must be put in place to evacuate civilians from Rafah before the IDF begins its operation in the city.