’Fight tooth and nail’: Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu vows to fight alone after US warns to curb weapons

Israel-Hamas war: Israel has refused to bow down to the US's warning of withholding more weapons if Israel launched an assault on Rafah city amid the prolonged war in Gaza. On Thursday, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, in a punchy clip on the X platform, said, "If we have to stand alone, we will stand alone” and “fight tooth and nail".

Netanyahu's tweet came after US President Joe Biden said he would not supply offensive weapons to Israel if it attacks Rafah.

In an interview with Phil McGraw, the American talk show host known as Dr Phil, Netanyahu said, “I’ve known Joe Biden for many years, 40 years and more...We often had agreements, but we’ve had our disagreements, and we’ve been able to overcome them. I hope we can overcome them now.”

What is Israel saying on Rafah

Since the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel, the latter's military has pledged to eradicate the US-designated terrorist group from the Gaza region. Therefore, Netanyahu on Thursday reiterated that Israel would go to Rafah to finish off the remaining battalions of Hamas.

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“We have to achieve victory,” he said. “That means we have to destroy all these battalions, which we will. We face very strong opposition to that, but we’re going to overcome it," the Israeli Prime Minister said.

Hamas will “murder again and again” if allowed to survive in Rafah, Netanyahu added.

The Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack killed some 1,200 people in Israel and around 250 abducted by the militants. 

However, following Hamas' attack, Israeli forces retaliated by killing more than 30,000 civilians, as per the Palestine Health Ministry.

US Pauses Arms Shipment to Israel on Rafah Invasion Concerns

What is US saying on Israel vs Hamas

During the initial months of the war, the US backed its ally, Israel, by providing weapons. However, after Israel Defense Forces attacked some US and UN aid workers near the Gaza border, Washington asked Israel to halt the violent approach.

This week, US President Biden said he would halt additional shipments of offensive weapons to Israel if it launches a ground invasion of Rafah, decrying the potential loss of civilian life as “just wrong.”

Israeli army takes ‘operational control’ of Palestinian side of Rafah border

White House officials insisted the US would stand by its ally while urging Netanyahu to refrain from an assault that could worsen the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

In the April 4 call, soon after seven World Central Kitchen aid workers were killed in an Israeli air strike, Biden gave Netanyahu an ultimatum: protect citizens and aid workers, or else US policy would change, reported Reuters.

Last week, the US withheld a shipment of thousands of heavy bombs out of concern over Israel's slow-rolling assault in Rafah.