Israeli Army Begins Attack on Rafah; At Least 10 Reported Dead in Early Hours

The Israeli army announced early Monday, February 12, that it had launched a wave of airstrikes against 'significant targets' of Hamas in Rafah, southern Gaza. According to the Times of Israel, citing the Gaza Health Ministry controlled by Hamas, around 10 people have been killed and several others injured as a result of these attacks, which have currently ceased. The U.S. President emphasized in a phone call with the Israeli Prime Minister on Sunday that military operations in Rafah should not continue without a credible and actionable plan to ensure the safety and support of one million Palestinian refugees sheltering in the area. Concurrently, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized calls for Israel to refrain from military action in Rafah during an interview with ABC, stating, 'Those who say we should not enter Rafah under any circumstances are essentially saying to lose the war and keep Hamas there.' The Times of Israel reported on Saturday that Egypt has warned Israel that any mass movement of Palestinians into its territory would jeopardize decades-long peace agreements and close security relations between the two countries. Rafah, the southernmost city in the Gaza Strip, has become home to nearly one million displaced Palestinians who have been driven south due to months of war between Israel and Hamas, which began with a terrorist attack in southern Israel on October 7. The Israeli Prime Minister's office claims that four battalions of the Hamas terrorist group are in Rafah, and Israel cannot achieve its goal of eradicating this Iran-backed militia while they are there, and civilians must also evacuate the war zone. Biden and Netanyahu discussed their 'common goal' of defeating Hamas and ensuring the safety of refugees in Rafah. Netanyahu stated that there are still a 'sufficient' number of hostages alive to justify the war in Gaza. A claim by a UN reporter regarding 'victims of October 7' sparked outrage in Israel. Netanyahu remarked that those who tell us not to enter Rafah are saying not to win against Hamas. Israel has reported the discovery of Hamas tunnels beneath the main UNRWA headquarters in Gaza. Egypt warned Israel that it would suspend relations between the two countries if Palestinians entered Sinai.