Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided to proceed with a ground offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, despite warnings from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the Biden administration. Blinken's concerns, shared during his latest trip to the Middle East, highlighted the potential for Israel's actions to lead to further isolation on the international stage and to damage its long-term security. The U.S. has expressed its goal of defeating Hamas alongside Israel but criticized the strategy of a major military ground operation in Rafah as counterproductive. Despite these warnings, Netanyahu has rebuffed U.S. appeals, emphasizing that Israel will continue its efforts against Hamas, aiming to kill Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, with or without American support. This stance comes amid growing anxiety within the Biden administration regarding Israel's strategy in Gaza, fearing it could result in perpetual occupation and insurgency, affecting 1.4 million Palestinian civilians sheltering in Rafah. The situation has laid bare a deepening divide between America and Israel, as Netanyahu seeks a path to victory in Rafah amid international pressure and humanitarian concerns.
JUST IN: Netanyahu tells officers, 'we will enter Rafah and achieve absolute victory' and that 'sheer evil cannot be defeated by leaving it alone in Rafah.
Netanyahu vows to kill Yahya Sinwar, says Rafah invasion will happen - The Jerusalem Post https://t.co/PWbboPP6CP
Even as international pressure mounts, Netanyahu has insisted Israel’s path to “total victory” must go through Rafah, which is considered the hub of Hamas’ terrorist activity. https://t.co/DeuFBMPiKw
Excerpts from a statement by Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant prior to taking an official visit to the United States: “I am traveling to the United States today upon invitation by the U.S. government. This is a very important trip during which I will meet with a series of… https://t.co/QSKCfNgaq2
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant is heading to Washington on Sunday, at a time of increasingly strained relations with his country’s main military backer and ally, as Israel continues to defy U.S. calls to reduce the suffering in Gaza. https://t.co/z4cSLQaP9y
Israeli defense chief to visit Washington as tensions rise over Gaza war https://t.co/iZLnxOggH7
🇮🇱🇺🇸GALANT HEADS TO THE U.S AS RAFAH OFFENSIVE LOOMS The Israeli Defense Minister will try to get U.S support for the ground invasion of Rafah after Netanyahu told Blinken, “There is no way for us to defeat Hamas without going into Rafah and eliminating the rest of the… https://t.co/rIBuVWtSep
Israel is willing to defy the United States on Rafah if it has to, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said as top Israeli officials prepare to discuss the controversial military operation in southern Gaza. @tovahlazaroff reports. https://t.co/kO7Zc4XOgU
U.S. can't stop Israel's Rafah offensive, Netanyahu tells Blinken: Netanyahu said he told the U.S. Secretary of State that Israel "will do it alone" if necessary, as Blinken said the invasion would further isolate Israel internationally https://t.co/fGUOQTY2gP
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would move forward with launching a ground offensive against Hamas in Rafah, without U.S. support. https://t.co/WGMOn8AN8C
Israel plans to launch a ground assault in Rafah despite widespread warnings of a potential disaster. https://t.co/uxCfFa2NBR
Israel defence chief to head to Washington for Gaza talks https://t.co/YjZQbu4jwa
Blinken told the Israeli War Cabinet that Hamas will continue to exist even if Israel attacks Rafah https://t.co/sRDGAocX93
U.S. can't stop Israel's Rafah offensive, Netanyahu tells Blinken / @Bsamuels0 & @HauserTov https://t.co/fGUOQTY2gP
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told visiting State Secretary Antony Blinken on Friday that Israel could launch a ground offensive in Gaza’s southernmost city Rafah “alone” without U.S. backing. https://t.co/6qUAG8icSY
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on May 22 said Israel will continue with ground operations in Rafah, even without U.S. support. This came after Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Israel in an effort to deter the operation. https://t.co/YWf0PolOrg
Netanyahu is willing to defy the US on Rafah. Israeli officials en route to Washington for talks. Reported by @tovahlazaroff https://t.co/A0MyA9twJm
Defense Minister Gallant will present to the American administration plans for "the day after" in the Gaza Strip during his visit to Washington tomorrow
Israel Broadcasting Corporation: — Secretary of Defense Gallant will make an official visit to Washington tomorrow to discuss progress made in the battle and efforts being made to return the hostages. — Gallant will discuss in Washington measures taken to deliver aid to the… https://t.co/oyXHAhYwtE
Rejecting Biden's calls not to invade Rafah, where 1.4 million Palestinian civilians are sheltering, Netanyahu says “we will do it alone” if necessary. He is alluding to a prospective conditioning of US arms sales and military aid. We won't Biden do it? https://t.co/wOPiWAvRtu.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday once again left the Middle East empty-handed as Israel’s prime minister rejected American appeals to call off a promised ground invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah. https://t.co/Kj1UcV145m
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would move forward with launching a ground offensive against Hamas in Rafah without U.S. support. MORE: https://t.co/WGMOn8AN8C https://t.co/9RnUglqNAE
A major military ground operation in Rafah risks killing more civilians. It risks wreaking greater havoc with the provision of humanitarian assistance. It risks further isolating Israel around the world and jeopardizing its long term security and standing. https://t.co/bYfTqJMUCv
Netanyahu: If we have to, we will enter Rafah without US support The Prime Minister of the Israeli regime said on the occasion of the meeting with the US Secretary of State that he appreciates Washington's support for Tel Aviv over the past five months. He said he told Blinken… https://t.co/Jmp36KidMz
Netanyahu said Friday that he had told U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken that an Israeli ground operation in southern Gaza's city of Rafah would proceed with or without American support / @Bsamuels0 & @HauserTov https://t.co/fGUOQTY2gP
Blinken's warning: Rafah operation could isolate Israel and harm long-term security Former U.S. Ambassador @dannyayalon examines the shared and differing strategies of Israel and the U.S. in concluding the war in Gaza and the elimination of Hamas https://t.co/IVV66qoQGM
Israel contemplates a pivotal operation in Rafah, Gaza, amid international pressure and humanitarian concerns, as Netanyahu seeks a path to victory and Blinken discusses peace https://t.co/DeuFBMPiKw
Netanyahu: With or without the Americans, we will still defeat Hamas in Rafah https://t.co/O60T0HLrHo
The deepening divide between America and Israel is being laid bare tonight, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declares he will forge ahead with a ground offensive in Rafah, with or without U.S. support. @LaurenTomasi #9News https://t.co/HsEgW9IsDi
Netanyahu Rebuffs U.S. Plea to Halt Rafah Offensive. Tensions Rise Ahead of Washington Talks https://t.co/nDpllOMoUA
#US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says that an offensive on the southern #Gaza City of Rafah would risk “further isolating” #Israel and damage its long-term security. https://t.co/6OUPXLWYQj
#Israel's #BenjaminNetanyahu rebuffs US plea to halt Rafah offensive; tensions rise ahead of #Washington talks https://t.co/WZOS2nrZ7k https://t.co/g8ZAPG1fmB
We share Israel’s goal of defeating Hamas, which is responsible for the worst massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust. As we’ve said, though, a major military ground operation in Rafah is not the way to do it. — @SecBlinken https://t.co/cVzC1bJePP
1/ The Biden administration is concerned Israel is making a "major strategic error" by denying "major, possibly generational damage" to Israel's reputation worldwide over its war in Gaza, according to a State Department memo obtained by NPR.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington shared Israel's goal of defeating Hamas and ensuring its long-term security, but 'a major military ground operation in Rafah is not the way to do it' https://t.co/AKguEswxk7 https://t.co/wfCgZAyBv8
Secretary of State Antony Blinken concludes latest trip to the Middle East with appeals to Israel on Gaza campaign unheeded https://t.co/31IgZjW0DF
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that an Israeli ground offensive in Rafah would risk "further isolating" Israel and damage its long-term security. https://t.co/pBG9Ta3S9Y
Israel’s Netanyahu rebuffs US plea to halt Rafah offensive. Tensions rise ahead of Washington talks https://t.co/yPwrfkxypy
Why it matters: Blinken's stark warning reflects the growing anxiety inside the Biden administration that Israel's strategy in Gaza, or lack thereof, could lead to a perpetual occupation and insurgency in the enclave https://t.co/HnHp7i2gD5