Israeli Forces Equipped for Rafah Ground Assault, Military Spokesman Confirms

Israel's military spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, has stated that the army possesses the necessary weapons to continue its offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. This comes after US President Joe Biden said he would not supply offensive weapons that Israel could use to launch an all-out assault on Rafah due to concerns for civilians in the area. Hagari emphasised that relations with the US remain close and disagreements should be resolved privately.Cyprus announced the departure of a ship carrying aid to Gaza, despite the US military not yet installing the pier and questions remaining about how the aid will be distributed. The UN has reported that most of Gaza's 2.3 million Palestinians suffer from hunger, with northern Gaza experiencing "full-blown famine." Humanitarian workers fear an even more dire situation if Israel launches a long-promised invasion of Rafah, which is the main distribution point for aid.Israel seized the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing with Egypt on Tuesday, and it is unclear when it will reopen. The closure of Rafah has put a distribution network at risk of collapse across Gaza, as it was used to import fuel. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees said it only has enough stocks to maintain operations for a few days and has started rationing.President Joe Biden stated on Wednesday that the United States would not supply offensive weapons for an all-out invasion, escalating tensions between the two close allies. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded by saying, "If we have to stand alone, we will stand alone."The limited military incursion into Rafah has complicated efforts by the US, Qatar, and Egypt to broker a cease-fire and release hostages captured in Hamas' October 7 attack that triggered the war. The war has killed over 34,800 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.