Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vows that once Israel begins its military operation in Rafah, it will be “weeks away from total victory.”
Speaking to CBS News, Netanyahu says that he is meeting with staff later today to review a dual military plan that included the evacuation of Palestinian civilians in Gaza and an operation to destroy remaining Hamas battalions.
Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost city, has become home to hundreds of thousands of refugees as they were moved further and further south amid Israel’s war with Hamas.
He tells CBS that it is unclear whether a hostage deal will materialize from ongoing talks, declining to discuss specifics but saying that Hamas needs to “come down to a reasonable situation.”
A potential hostage deal won’t interfere with the IDF’s plans to operate in Rafah, he says, even if one does come to fruition.
“If we have a deal, it will be delayed somewhat, but it will happen. If we don’t have a deal, we’ll do it anyway,” he tells CBS.
Content retrieved from: https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/netanyahu-to-cbs-once-israel-begins-rafah-operation-well-be-weeks-away-from-total-victory/.