Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel has enough strength to fight on its own in the event of a possible termination of military aid from the United States of America.
“If we have to stand alone, we will stand alone. We will fight tooth and nail if we have to,” Netanyahu said in an address to the nation.
Netanyahu’s adviser Dmitry Gendelman said yesterday that Israel regrets not receiving support for the delivery of weapons from its “closest ally” the US while the Israeli operation in the Gaza Strip city of Rafah continues.
White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby pointed out that the administration of US President Joseph Biden hopes that it will not have to make decisions on the delivery of weapons to Israel, but that it will have to do so if Israel enters Rafah.
On Monday, May 6, Israel launched a military operation in the eastern parts of Rafah and took control of the Rafah border crossing on the border with Egypt.
The decision came despite the Palestinian movement Hamas agreeing to the terms of a ceasefire agreement proposed by Egypt and Qatar. Netanyahu called the agreement unacceptable. Rafa is believed to house more than a million people.