On the 9th (local time), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel would continue its attack on Rafah in the Gaza Strip despite the cessation of U.S. weapon support.
The Associated Press (AP) reported that Prime Minister Netanyahu stated in a press release that Israel will even fight independently, saying, “If necessary, we will fight even with our fingernails.”
On the 8th, the U.S. government put pressure on Prime Minister Netanyahu by stating it would not provide the offensive weapons necessary for the Rafah attack.
Daniel Hagari, the spokesperson for the Israeli military, emphasized that the Israeli Army is securing the ammunition necessary for the Rafah operation.
Israel has been announcing that it will attack Rafah, where an estimated 1.3 million Palestinians are thought to be taking refuge.
The UN and international aid organizations warn that the Israeli military’s attack could be lethal as the 2.3 million residents of the Gaza Strip are suffering from starvation.
The Israeli military is making it difficult to supply relief goods as the tank units are occupying parts of Rafah, which faces the Egyptian border.
Israel claims this area is the last stronghold of the Palestinian militant faction Hamas, and an attack is necessary to dismantle them.
In response to the U.S. weapon suspension, backlash within Israel is growing. Itamar Ben-Gvir, the Minister of National Security with far-right tendencies, posted content with a heart symbol between Hamas and Biden on social media platform X.
The AP reported that ultra-nationalist members within the Israeli coalition are supporting the attack on Rafah and threatening to overthrow the Netanyahu government if they do not initiate the operation.
