Avi Melamed, a former Israeli intelligence officer and negotiator in the Palestinian uprisings of the 1980s and 2000s, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's administration was unlikely to heed international calls to stop attacking Rafah. "Rafah is the last bastion under Hamas control," he added.
Two Israeli officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said military commanders believe Israel can significantly damage Hamas' remaining forces in the next six to eight weeks, paving the way for a transition to a phase of lower intensity and more targeted airstrikes.
A house hit by Israeli airstrikes in Rafah, Gaza Strip on February 16, 2024. Photo: Reuters
Difficult to "wipe out" Hamas
Earlier on Friday (February 16), Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) was planning to target Hamas militants, command centers and tunnels in Rafah, although he did not give a timeline for the operation.
He stressed that special measures were being taken to avoid civilian casualties. "There are 24 regional battalions in Gaza. We have disbanded 18 of them," he said at a press conference.
In that context, world leaders fear a humanitarian disaster, as nearly 1.5 million Palestinian civilians remain trapped in Rafah. They have nowhere else to go after fleeing Israeli attacks from other parts of Gaza.
During a week of heightened diplomatic tensions, US President Joe Biden called the Israeli leader twice to warn him against launching a military operation in Rafah without a credible plan to ensure the safety of civilians.
On the Israeli side, Prime Minister Netanyahu said civilians would be allowed to leave the battle zone before the attack, but the IDF has not explained how they will evacuate more than 1 million people from the rubble of the area.
Palestinians may be screened to eliminate any Hamas militants before being taken to northern Gaza, an Israeli security source said.
However, an Israeli defense official said Palestinians would not be allowed to return en masse to northern Gaza, as it would be unsafe for large numbers of people to move to a northern area that has no electricity or running water and has not been cleared of unexploded bombs.
According to Hamas, the total victory that Mr Netanyahu promises will not come quickly or easily. One official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the group that once ruled Gaza could continue to fight and prepare for a long war in Rafah and Gaza.
"Netanyahu's choices are difficult and so are ours. He can take Gaza but Hamas will still stand and fight. He has not achieved his goal of eliminating Hamas leaders or destroying Hamas," the person added.
"No more vacancies in Rafah"
Much of Gaza has been reduced to rubble by Israel. Fighting continues in the southern city of Khan Younis, with sporadic clashes still breaking out in northern areas.
Palestinian children displaced by Israeli attacks play on swings at a tent camp on the border with Egypt. Photo: Reuters
More than 85% of Gaza's 2.3 million people have been left homeless. Most of those displaced have sought shelter in Rafah, which had a pre-conflict population of around 300,000.
"There is no more room in Rafah, more than one and a half million people are here. Does the world know that? There will be a massacre if the tanks enter," said Emad Joudat, 55, one of the first people to flee the Gaza Strip with his family to Rafah.
The father of five, who lives in a tent without food or water in Rafah, said he was the breadwinner for his family. "I feel helpless because I don't know where to go with my children if Israel attacks," he said.
Egypt has sealed its border with the enclave, underscoring its opposition to the relocation of Palestinians from Gaza. Israeli Defense Minister Gallant said Israel has no intention of evacuating Palestinian civilians to Egypt.
Hoai Phuong (according to Reuters)
Source
Comment (0)