Rafah op. will put 'Israel' weeks away from 'total victory': Netanyahu

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
26 Feb 2024 02:27

The Israeli occupation PM tells CBS that the invasion of Rafah will be delayed somewhat if a temporary truce is achieved.

Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a gathering of Jewish leaders at the Museum of Tolerance in occupied al-Quds, on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024. (AP Photo)

Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that the invasion into the Gazan city of Rafah, where 1.4 million Palestinians are sheltering in tent cities, would put "Israel" within weeks of "total victory".

Negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza have resumed in the Qatari capital Doha, state-linked Egyptian media reported, but Netanyahu said any deal would not prevent the invasion of Rafah.

"If we have a (ceasefire) deal, it [Rafah invasion] will be delayed somewhat, but it will happen," he told CBS.

"If we don't have a deal, we'll do it anyway. It has to be done, because total victory is our goal, and total victory is within reach -- not months away, weeks away, once we begin the operation."

An Israeli delegation was in Paris on Friday to discuss a deal on a ceasefire and a prisoner exchange deal between "Israel" and the Palestinian Resistance movement Hamas.

Asked about US demands for "Israel" to protect civilians in Rafah, Netanyahu said his military chiefs would on Sunday show him "a dual plan -- a plan to evacuate and a plan to dismantle those remaining (Hamas) battalions."

This comes as the Ministry of Health in Gaza announced on the 142nd day of the war that the number of Palestinians martyred since the start of the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Strip on October 7 has risen to 29,692, while the number of wounded has reached 69,879.

Exclusive: 'Israel' obstructed prisoner exchange deal in Paris meeting

Earlier on Sunday, private sources in the Palestinian Resistance told Al Mayadeen that "Israel" obstructed reaching a final agreement to a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal during the latest talks in Paris.

Although sources explained that the latest meeting in Paris attempted to "bridge the differences" in proposed clauses between Hamas and "Israel", the meeting saw insufficient changes in the Israeli representatives' positions.

Some progress was made on specific clauses, however, the main demands made by Hamas were "ignored", the sources told Al Mayadeen.

Among the demands overlooked by the Israeli side was a clause for a comprehensive ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, according to the sources.

In detail, the progress made during the meeting revolved around altering the ratio of Israeli captives to Palestinian prisoners, from 1 captive to 3 Palestinians, to 3 to 13 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for 1 Israeli captive.

The sources revealed to Al Mayadeen that Hamas insisted that all displaced Palestinians should be allowed to return to their homes in the first stage of the deal, adding, however, that those present at the meeting opted for including a clause that would allow only for "the gradual and limited return of displaced" Palestinians to their homes.

Moreover, Al Mayadeen's sources said that "it is clear that the gap between the two sides remains large," adding that Hamas believes that "Israel" is attempting to buy its time and "procrastinate to avoid reaching a final agreement, as that could trigger an internal crisis that may lead to the collapse of the (Israeli) coalition government."