Israel will continue its fight against Hamas with a military operation in Gaza's Rafah with or without the United States' support, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he told Secretary of State Antony Blinken during in-person talks on Friday.
Blinken and Netanyahu met face-to-face in Tel Aviv as America's top diplomat pressed the argument that more aid has to be shipped into Gaza to stave off a humanitarian crisis among the Palestinian people.
Netanyahu said he told Blinken that he understands the need to protect Palestinian civilians as Israel carries out its fight against Hamas in retaliation for the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel.
But he also reiterated that Israel's military must press into Rafah, where millions of Palestianians have sought shelter, to defeat Hamas.
"I also said that we have no way to defeat Hamas without going into Rafah and eliminating the rest of the battalions there. And I told him that I hope we will do it with the support of the U.S., but if we have to - we will do it alone," Netanyahu said in a video statement, Reuters reported.
Netanyahu said he told Blinken that he appreciates that America has stood with Israel for "more than five months" in its war against Hamas.
"I also told him that we recognize the need to evacuate the civilian population from the war zones and of course also take care of the humanitarian needs and we are working to that end," he said.
Blinken has said that any ground operation into Rafah would be a "mistake."
Speaking to reporters Friday, the secretary of state restated his warning for Israel.
"A major military ground operation in Rafah is not the way to do it. It risks killing more civilians. It risks wreaking greater havoc with the provision of humanitarian assistance," he said. "It risks further isolating Israel around the world and jeopardizing its long-term security and standing."
