Israeli PM Netanyahu gives green light to Rafah military ground operation
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has approved plans for the country’s military to begin conducting a ground operation in the city of Rafah in southern Gaza. Despite pressure from U.S. President Joe Biden to use restraint, Netanyahu confirmed that Israel Defense Forces are preparing for the operational side and for the evacuation of the population in Rafah.
Biden had earlier warned that an Israeli military operation in Gaza’s southernmost city would constitute a red line, urging Israel to prioritize protecting civilian life ahead of any offensive. The city of Rafah, which typically has a population of about 172,000 people, has seen an influx of individuals from other parts of the Palestinian enclave as the IDF responds to the October 2023 attack by Hamas, resulting in more than 1,110 casualties.
