Israel-Gaza War Latest Development
Following a warning from US President Joe Biden about the potential cessation of certain weapon supplies if Israel initiates a significant ground operation in Rafah, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded on Thursday. He asserted that Israel has the capacity to “stand alone” if circumstances demand and is ready to battle using its fingernails if required.
“We are prepared to go it alone if we must. I have declared readiness to battle with our bare hands if required,” he expressed, documented by the BBC. The US has already put a pause on a bombs delivery due to worries about non-combatant fatalities. Yet, Netanyahu harked back to the 1948 conflict on Thursday to disregard cautionary advice from Washington.
We are ready to face any adversity alone if the need arises. “In case of an exigency, we will fight with all our might,” he announced, as reported by the BBC. The US, concerned about the possibility of civilian casualties, has already stopped a shipment of explosives. However, disregarding warnings from Washington on Thursday, Netanyahu harkens back to the 1948 conflict.
“76 years ago, during the War of Independence, we were a small group against a large one,” he expressed. “We didn’t possess arms due to an embargo placed on Israel, but our tremendous spirit, bravery, and solidarity led us to victory,” Netanyahu remarked, as reported by the BBC. He asserted that if the US President halted the armament deliveries, Israel would still be armed with “far more than just our bare hands.”
The UN reported a situation of panic and chaos, with over 80,000 individuals having left Rafah due to relentless air raids, as informed by BBC. The situation worsened as the city’s remaining population found themselves on the brink of a crisis, with food and fuel supplies dwindling. The stoppage of aid via adjacent routes further exacerbated the situation.
Previously, Israel deployed tanks to Rafah, a city in the south, and took control of the adjacent border crossing into Egypt. This passageway has been vital for the delivery of aid and serves as the sole escape route for those capable of evacuating since the onset of the conflict in October of the previous year.
For the first time, Joe Biden expressed on Wednesday that he would halt the provision of arms to Israel if Netanyahu orders a large-scale invasion of the city of Rafah.
While speaking to CNN, the American President admitted that the weaponry provided by the US to Israel has been implicated in civilian deaths in Gaza. “Those explosives and other methods they use against populated areas have led to civilian fatalities in Gaza,” he stated. “I’ve explicitly stated that if they invade Rafah—a step they haven’t taken yet—I won’t be supplying the arms traditionally used in handling Rafah, or dealing with the issues related to the cities,” Biden expressed.
