Netanyahu Says He’ll Soon Have Action Plan for Rafah Evacuation

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he’ll have a “plan for action” in hand for moving the civilian population out of Rafah in the southern part of the Gaza Strip ahead of an offensive to “dismantle” remaining Hamas battalions. 

“There is no disagreement with me and the US about the need to evacuate the population،” Netanyahu said in an interview broadcast Sunday with CBS’s “Face the Nation.”

Shielding Gaza civilians

Israel doesn’t need “prodding” by the US to shield Gaza civilians، he added. The plan will include how to “dismantle” remaining Hamas battalions، Netanyahu said. His office said in a social media post the country’s military “presented the War Cabinet with a plan for evacuating the population from the areas of fighting in the Gaza Strip، and with the upcoming operational plan.” 

The Israeli leader said people now in Rafah، near the Egyptian border، would be directed north. “There’s room for them to go north of Rafah to the place that we’ve already finished fighting in،” Netanyahu said. 

Much of Gaza has been devastated by Israeli air and ground bombardments since October، and most of the million or more civilians now sheltering in Rafah were moved from areas in the north. 

Separately، Netanyahu said he couldn’t predict a timeline for a deal with Hamas on swapping Israeli hostages held in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners in Israel. 

Israeli media reported that talks on Friday involving the Israeli delegation and representatives from the US، Egypt and Qatar had yielded a breakthrough. 

“delusional claims”

Netanyahu told CBS that Hamas، which is considered a terrorist organization by the US and European Union، first needs to back off “delusional claims” which he didn’t specify. 

An intense Israeli military operation in Rafah could take “a matter of weeks،” and Israel will proceed with it whether there’s a hostage/temporary cease-fire deal or not، Netanyahu said. 

Separately، on CNN’s “State of the Union،” US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the Biden administration had made it clear that all parties need to make every effort toward a temporary cease-fire. 

“We are telling everyone، including the Israeli government، that it is our firm position that every effort be exercised to get to this agreement، and then we can move forward from there،” Sullivan said.  

Israel has been attacking Hamas in Gaza for nearly five months، killing almost 30،000 there، according to the enclave’s Hamas-run health ministry. Meantime، conditions on the ground in Gaza are increasingly desperate. 

Eighteen of 24 Hamas battalions have been destroyed since Israel’s campaign started after the Oct. 7 attacks on southern Israel by Hamas operatives، in which 1،200 people were killed and 250 kidnapped.  

Separately، US Central Command said Houthis launched a single anti-ship ballistic missile Saturday that likely targeted a tanker in the Gulf of Aden، which resulted in no damage or injuries after the missile impacted on the water. The US and its allies struck multiple targets in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen on Saturday، responding to increased attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea region by the Iran-backed militant group