While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has emphasized his intention to carry out ground operations in Rafah, at the southern end of the Gaza Strip, the Islamic organization Hamas has resisted the attack, saying, ``An attack on Rafah would mean the collapse of hostage negotiations.'' did.
*We will keep you updated on developments regarding Israel and Palestine as of February 12, Japan time.
The Israeli military has called for a concentrated attack on Rafah, at the southern end of the Gaza Strip, as it is a key Hamas stronghold, and Prime Minister Netanyahu has also ordered the military to formulate a plan.
Under these circumstances, Prime Minister Netanyahu gave an interview to ABC Television in the United States, and the content of the interview was posted on the website on the 11th.
Prime Minister Netanyahu said, ``We will attack Rafah, Hamas' last stronghold.'' Claiming that we should not do so is tantamount to telling Israel to lose the war.'' has been justified once again.
He also insisted that measures would be taken to reduce civilian casualties by ``providing safe evacuation routes for civilians to evacuate.''
Meanwhile, local media quoted a senior Hamas official as saying, ``Netanyahu is trying to spread a massacre and a humanitarian crisis in Rafah in order to avoid hostage negotiations.An attack on Rafah would mean the collapse of hostage negotiations.'' They have warned that if the attack on Rafa intensifies, there will be no room for negotiation.
Hamas also posted on social media on the 11th, ``Two hostages were killed and eight others were seriously injured as a result of Israeli military attacks over the past 96 hours,'' indicating that hostages have also suffered casualties.
According to health authorities in the Gaza Strip, 28,176 people have been killed so far, and there are concerns that civilian casualties will rise even more if attacks intensify on Rafah, where more than 1 million people have fled.
President Biden: ``Provide safety and support to civilians evacuated to Rafah''
The US White House announced that President Biden spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the 11th, as the Israeli military appears to be stepping up its attack on Rafah in the Gaza Strip.
According to the announcement, President Biden ``reiterates the belief that no military operation should occur in Rafah unless there is a viable plan to ensure the safety and support of the more than 1 million civilians sheltered in Rafah.'' The two sides emphasized that they once again asked Prime Minister Netanyahu to take a cautious approach, and agreed to continue to maintain close contact.
French Foreign Ministry statement: ``Rafah attack creates a catastrophic humanitarian situation''
As the Israeli military intensifies its attacks on Rafah in the Gaza Strip, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on the 11th, saying, ``Rafah is home to more than 1.3 million people and is an important conduit for humanitarian aid.'' "A large-scale attack on Rafah would bring about a new level of catastrophic humanitarian situation," he said, expressing concern about the attack and calling for an end to the fighting.
It also states that ``the Israeli military must take concrete measures to protect the lives of Gaza's citizens,'' and urges Israel to take concrete measures to protect the residents.