The White House stated that President Joe Biden emphasized the need for a reliable and executable plan before any military operation in the city of Rafah in southern Gaza Strip, during his call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stressing the necessity of a plan to ensure the safety and support of over a million people seeking refuge in Rafah.
Military expert and strategist Major General Fayez Al-Dweiri viewed Biden’s discussion on Rafah as a green light for Netanyahu to proceed, albeit conditionally agreed upon precautionary measures. Al-Dweiri, in his analysis for Al Jazeera, mentioned that both Biden and Netanyahu are deceiving each other and the world, asserting that a military operation in Rafah would inevitably lead to bloody massacres.
Highlighting that there are 27,000 Palestinians per square kilometer in Rafah, Al-Dweiri emphasized that any military operation there would result in historically significant massacres due to the densely populated area (1.4 million residents).
Rafah Battle Formation
Regarding his expectations for the anticipated Israeli incursion in Rafah, Al-Dweiri explained that the military approach would commence from the eastern and northern directions to displace the human masses, noting that the old Rafah camps serve as a defensive stronghold for the resistance.
He warned that there are preliminary signs of the battle beginning as the Israeli army intensifies airstrikes on Rafah to pressure the Hamas movement to agree to the Paris framework agreement on a potential deal.
Al-Dweiri underlined the importance of the Egyptian and American positions in restraining the right-wing Israeli government. He elaborated on how Cairo’s border with the Gaza Strip impacts Egyptian sovereignty and dignity, while Washington continues to provide a military bridge to Tel Aviv since the start of the conflict.
Khan Younis Battle
In terms of the Khan Younis battle, the military expert stated that months have passed since the start of the Israeli incursion, and the battle remains foggy with fluctuating frontlines favoring the resistance over the occupation.
He pointed out the confusion in the Israeli army’s combat plan, such as reducing the number of combat brigades in Khan Younis from 8 to 5, citing Israeli Chief of Staff Hertzi Halevi’s remarks about the prolonged nature of the battle being contrary to earlier statements.
Al-Dweiri noted the lack of a clear vision within the Israeli army, witnessing successive failures after an eastward attack coupled with a western encirclement, leading to setbacks. He emphasized that the achievements of the occupation forces were limited, with exaggerations in their size, as the damage inflicted on the resistance factions did not exceed 15% according to the U.S. administration.
