Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that the Israeli Defense Forces’ operation in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, will soon come to an end, but Palestinian refugees will be given the opportunity to leave. This statement was reported by RIA Novosti, citing the office of the Israeli government.
“We will destroy Hamas, return the hostages held in the Gaza Strip, and ensure a situation where the Gaza Strip will never pose a threat to Israel. We will conclude the military operation in Rafah. However, we will allow the civilian population to leave dangerous areas,” Netanyahu said at the American-Israeli Public Affairs Committee conference.
Rafah is the southernmost populated area of the Palestinian enclave, where residents of Gaza and other cities in the northern part of the enclave fled since the start of the Palestinian-Israeli war.
Earlier, Politico reported, citing its sources, that the administration of US President Joe Biden may consider the possibility of limiting military aid to Israel if the Jewish state invades the city of Rafah.
Earlier, the Israeli government announced approximate timelines for the completion of the operation in the Gaza Strip.
