Israel threatens Hamas with fighting at the start of Ramadan
Offensive on Rafah – “There is no escape plan”
The Israeli army announces an offensive on the city of Rafah. There is no official plan as to how the civilians should be evacuated, according to WELT reporter Max Hermes. Meanwhile, criticism of Netanyahu is growing.
Clear words from Israeli Minister Benny Gantz: “If the hostages are not home by Ramadan, the fighting will continue everywhere.” Hamas has a choice, he counters. In southern Gaza, the army captured two hospitals where terrorists were posing as staff.
DIsraeli Minister Benny Gantz has promised to launch the planned offensive on Rafah at the beginning of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan. “The world needs to know and the Hamas leadership needs to know: If the hostages are not home by Ramadan, the fighting will continue everywhere, including in the Rafah region,” said the former Israeli army chief, who was part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s war cabinet heard, on Sunday in Jerusalem. The Islamic fasting month of Ramadan is scheduled to begin around March 10th.
“To those who say the price is too high, I say clearly: Hamas has a choice. They can surrender, release the hostages and the civilians in Gaza can celebrate Ramadan,” Gantz told representatives of the umbrella organization of Jewish organizations in the United States.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is insisting on a military offensive in the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip despite international warnings. At the conference in Jerusalem, he reiterated his goal of “finishing the work of achieving total victory” over the radical Islamic group Hamas.
Gantz stressed that an Israeli offensive in Rafah would be coordinated and carried out in consultation with the US and Egyptians to enable the evacuation of civilians and “keep civilian casualties as low as possible.” However, it remained unclear where people should go to safety.
Netanyahu said on Saturday that anyone calling on Israel to abandon the offensive was essentially demanding that his country “lose the war” against Hamas. At the same time, he emphasized that the offensive would also take place in the event of an agreement with Hamas to release the Israeli hostages. Even if such an agreement is reached, “we will move into Rafah,” said the head of government.
In Rafah on the border with Egypt, around 1.4 million Palestinians have sought refuge from the fighting. A number of countries, including Israel’s closest ally the USA, are therefore calling for the offensive to be abandoned. Egypt also warned Israel again on Monday against an expansion of the fighting. “We view the possibility of an Israeli offensive in Rafah with great concern,” said Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Schukri in an interview with WELT. “We have made it very clear that this must not happen.”
Terrorists are said to have posed as medical staff
Israel’s military continued its operations in the city of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip over the weekend. The army took control of Nasser Hospital, one of the larger hospitals in the coastal area. According to employees, the hospital is no longer functional. The army announced on Sunday evening that hundreds of terrorists and terror suspects who were hiding in the clinic had been captured. Some of them are said to have posed as medical staff.
Meanwhile, Defense Minister Joav Galant sees the Islamists’ fighting spirit broken after more than four months of war. “200 terrorists surrendered in Nasser Hospital, dozens more in Amal Hospital,” Galant said on Sunday at a meeting with army commanders. “This shows that Hamas has lost its fighting spirit.” The information could not initially be independently verified.
“Hamas’ Gaza branch is not responding”
In addition, the Hamas leadership under its leader Jihia al-Sinwar, who went into hiding out of fear of the Israeli security forces, lost contact with the outside world in their hiding places. “The Gaza branch of Hamas is not responding,” Galant said. “There’s no one left locally to talk to.”
Fighters from Hamas, classified as a terrorist organization by the EU and the USA, entered Israel on October 7th and committed atrocities there, mainly against civilians. According to Israeli information, around 1,160 people were killed and around 250 were taken hostage to the Gaza Strip. According to Israeli information, 130 of the hostages are still in the Palestinian territory and 30 of them are said to be dead.
In response to the Hamas attack, Israel set its goal of destroying Hamas. According to Hamas figures, which cannot be independently verified, more than 28,900 people have been killed in the massive military operation in the Gaza Strip.