Netanyahu Informs Biden: Israel Will Fight Until ‘Total Victory’ Includes Rafah Action

Tel Aviv: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that Israel will not yield to international pressure opposing a ground operation in Gaza’s Rafah area to root out Hamas militants.

Netanyahu emphasized that preventing a ground operation would result in losing the war against Hamas. Despite warnings from the U.S. and Western allies about the potential catastrophe of such an offensive, Israel plans to evacuate civilians before entering Rafah, located on Gaza’s border with Egypt.

Netanyahu informed U.S. President Joe Biden that Israel is committed to fighting until “total victory,” including action in Rafah. He asserted that Hamas’s stronghold in Rafah must be neutralized for comprehensive success, even if a hostage deal is reached.

Netanyahu highlighted the necessity of preventing a quarter of Hamas from remaining intact in a defined territory. The IDF operation in Rafah will proceed after civilian evacuation to safe areas. Rafah stands as the last Hamas stronghold in the Gaza Strip.