Gaza war: Netanyahu vows to defeat Hamas in Rafah despite US arms threat                                      Israel's Prime Minister ...

 

Gaza war: Netanyahu vows to defeat Hamas in Rafah despite US arms threat

                                    

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel is prepared to fight on its own if needed, even if it means losing U.S. military support. This came after President Joe Biden warned that the U.S. could stop sending weapons if Israel launches a full-scale invasion of Rafah in Gaza.

Thousands of people have already left Rafah after the Israeli military started a smaller operation earlier in the week. President Biden said that a larger invasion would cross a "red line." Netanyahu, however, dismissed these warnings, saying that Israel will keep fighting even if it has to do so without U.S. support.

The U.S. has delayed sending certain bombs to Israel, concerned they could lead to more civilian deaths in Rafah. Netanyahu's defense minister, Yoav Gallant, also rejected the U.S. warnings, saying that Israel's friends and enemies should know that Israel will not back down.

More than 80,000 people have fled Rafah since the Israeli operation began, and the UN says food and fuel are running out for those still in the city. Israel has also blocked some crossings into Rafah, making it hard for aid to get in.

In response to the Israeli military action, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) have attacked Israeli forces with mortar bombs and anti-tank missiles. In other incidents, Israeli airstrikes have killed several people, including children.

Talks for a peace deal that seemed possible earlier in the week have also broken down. Israel says that victory is impossible without taking Rafah and destroying the last remaining Hamas forces there.

Israel began its military campaign against Gaza after Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking 252 hostages. Since then, over 34,900 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.