The Israeli offensive in Rafah is likely imminent – US crucial
The Israeli army is pushing ahead with plans for a controversial military offensive against Islamist Hamas in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. According to information from the news magazine Politico on Wednesday, the US, as Israel’s main ally, is urging the Jewish state to refrain from a feared major invasion of the city bordering Egypt. An estimated 1.5 million people currently seek refuge from war in a very small space.
Senior US officials have told their Israeli counterparts that US President Joe Biden’s administration would support Israel in carrying out targeted attacks on Hamas there as long as a full-scale invasion is avoided, Politico reported. Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant indicated during a visit to troops in Gaza that the planned military offensive in Rafah is imminent. “There is no safe haven for terrorists in Gaza,” he said on Wednesday, according to an Israeli government statement.
Current developments in the live ticker:
Blinken calls for protection of civilians
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken again appealed to Israel to improve the humanitarian situation in the closed coastal strip and ensure the protection of the civilian population. US President Biden has already made it clear that this must be a priority, Blinken said in Washington on Wednesday. This should not be a secondary consideration. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” Blinken said. The US tried by all means possible to increase humanitarian aid. Nevertheless, the “most effective way” is a ceasefire. “There is currently a very good proposal on the table. The question is whether Hamas will accept this proposal,” Blinken said. Intensive exchanges are taking place with the other mediating states Qatar and Egypt to see how an agreement can be reached.
Israel plans “humanitarian islands” for Rafah civilians
Meanwhile, according to the Times of Israel newspaper, Israeli forces said on Wednesday that a large number of people in Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost city, would be taken to “humanitarian islands” in the center of the closed-off coastal area before a military operation. Army spokesman Daniel Hagari said their move to designated areas will be done in coordination with international actors. He did not say when the evacuation would take place or when the offensive on the city would begin. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently expressed his determination to launch the Rafah offensive soon, despite international warnings. “We are very close to victory,” he said in an interview with “Bild”, Welt TV and “Politico”.
“Even those who think we are procrastinating will soon see that we will reach every region,” Defense Secretary Galant said. Although he did not mention Rafah by name, the Times of Israel interpreted his statement as a reference to the planned offensive. Gallant may have been referring to reports that allies had urged Israel to delay an invasion of Rafah, the New York Times wrote. Israel wants to destroy the last four remaining Hamas battalions in Gaza in Rafah.
Report: US prefers targeted attacks on Hamas
However, according to Politico, the US wants to prevent the Israeli forces from destroying the city and killing many civilians. A large-scale campaign is unacceptable for Biden. In this context, the American president spoke this weekend about a ‘red line’. He calls for a credible concept to protect civilians. Senior US officials have told Israel they could support a plan more comparable to targeted counter-terrorism operations, Politico wrote. Biden had warned that another 30,000 Palestinians should not die as a result of the action against Hamas. This angered Netanyahu.
Israel’s military: Hamas commander killed in Rafah
On Wednesday, the Israeli army said it had killed a key Hamas commander in a targeted attack in Rafah. Based on intelligence information, a fighter jet “precisely targeted and eliminated the terrorist in the Hamas operational unit in the Rafah area,” the military said in a statement. According to Palestinian aid agency UNRWA, the attack hit the aid agency’s food and aid distribution center. At least one UNRWA worker was killed and 22 others were injured. A total of five people were killed in the attack, according to the Hamas-controlled health authority. An Israeli military spokesman said they were investigating the reports.
The war was sparked by a massacre in which terrorists from Hamas and other extremist groups killed about 1,200 people and kidnapped 250 in Israel on October 7. In response, the Israeli army began its attacks on the Gaza Strip, killing more than 31,000 people, according to the local health authority. The number does not distinguish between civilians and combatants and cannot be independently verified.
The German air force also wants to drop aid supplies over the Gaza Strip
The German air force will use transport planes this week to drop urgently needed aid supplies in the Gaza Strip. “People in Gaza lack basic needs. We would like to do our part to ensure that they have access to food and medicine,” Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) said after giving his basic approval to such an operation on Wednesday. Bundeswehr transport aircraft stationed in France will be used for this purpose. The first plane for the relief operation in Gaza took off on Wednesday. After a stopover in Toulouse we would go to Jordan to load the relief supplies onto the plane. (sda/dpa/con)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
