Israeli minister threatens to topple Netanyahu if Rafah not attacked

By Abdelraouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) - Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir on Monday threatened to topple the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he ends the war in Gaza Strip without launching an offensive on the southern city of Rafah.

"If the Prime Minister decides to end the war without an extensive attack on Rafah in order to defeat Hamas, he will not have a mandate to continue serving as Prime Minister," the far-right politician wrote on X.

Ben Gvir's threat comes amid reports of a possible breakthrough in Israel's indirect negotiations with Hamas to reach a hostage-prisoners exchange deal and a cease-fire.

Despite global outcry over the catastrophic situation in the Palestinian enclave, the Israeli premier has long expressed his intention to attack Rafah, where over 1.5 million refugees have taken refuge.

Netanyahu rules with 64 seats in the 120-member Knesset, or parliament. His coalition has five other parties, including two far-right parties led by Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, who have a combined 13 seats. Sixty-one seats are needed for a majority government.

Israel has waged a military offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023 cross-border attack by Palestinian group Hamas which claimed about 1,200 lives.

More than 33,000 Palestinians have since been killed besides leading to widescale destruction, displacement and conditions of famine.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul