Netanyahu: ‘No Power in the World’ Can Stop Planned Military Offensive in Gaza’s Rafah

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Tuesday that Israel was poised to launch a military offensive against Hamas in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza bordering Egypt. The prime minister declared that “no power in the world” could deter the action. Speaking to newly enlisted soldiers at a military base outside Tel Aviv, Netanyahu emphasized the mission to “complete the elimination of Hamas battalions, including in Rafah.” He acknowledged the international efforts to halt the ground attack in the Palestinian city but maintained that nothing could prevent Israel from proceeding. No specific date for the operation was provided.

The United Nations and aid experts have issued repeated warnings about the dire consequences of a military operation in Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost city, which is now a temporary home to approximately 1.4 million people seeking refuge from bombardments in other areas.