US warns Israel over Rafah offensive, Hamas says 'no compromise' on truce deal

US warns Israel over Rafah offensive, Hamas says ‘no compromise’ on truce deal

As the war between Israel and Hamas rages on, the terror group has said it was unwilling to make more concessions to Israel in negotiations over a ceasefire for Gaza. Meanwhile, Israel continued its tank and aerial strikes on the southern Gaza City of Rafah on Wednesday and has threatened a major assault on it.Â

The Israel-Hamas war began when Hamas terrorists breached Israel’s defenses on October 7 last year, and swept through nearby army bases and farming communities, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting another 250.Â

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR: THE LATEST

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  US President Joe Biden has publicly warned Israel for the first time that the United States would stop supplying it with weapons if Israeli forces make a major invasion of Rafah, a refugee-packed city in southern Gaza. During an interview with the CNN, Biden said, “I made it clear that if they go into Rafah, I’m not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, to deal with the cities – that deal with that problem.”

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  During the interview, Joe Biden also clarified that while he was “not walking away from Israel’s security”, his country was “walking away from Israel’s ability to wage war in [populated] areas”. Asked if Israel has crossed his red line regarding its conduct in Gaza, Biden told CNN “not yet”, but noted that last week he held up the transfer of thousands of 2,000 and 500-pound bombs to Israel due to concerns they could be used in Rafah.

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  On Tuesday, the Biden administration confirmed it had previously too held up a large shipment of 2,000- and 500-pound bombs that it feared Israel might use in a looming major ground operation in the densely populated southern Gaza city of Rafah, the Times of Israel reported.Â

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  Commenting on the US’s earlier weapon supply halt, the military spokesperson of the Israel Defense Forces said the allies resolve any disagreements “behind closed doors”. Speaking at a Tel Aviv conference, he also described coordination between Israel and the United States as reaching “a scope without precedent, I think, in Israel’s history”.

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  Hamas has said it was unwilling to make more concessions to Israel in negotiations over a ceasefire for Gaza, although talks were still underway in Cairo aimed at pausing Israel’s seven-month-old offensive. In a statement, Izzat El-Reshiq, a member of Hamas’ political office in Qatar, said that the group would not go beyond a ceasefire proposal it accepted on Monday, which would also entail the release of some Israeli hostages in Gaza and Palestinian women and children detained in Israel.

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  United Airlines UAL.O has said it would cancel its daily flights to Tel Aviv in Israel through June 5, news agency Reuters reported. In a statement, the airline said, “We continue to closely monitor the situation and will make decisions on upcoming flights with a focus on the safety of our customers and crews.” The carrier also added that its second daily Tel Aviv flight would be cancelled through June 19.

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  In an overnight announcement, the Israel Defense Forces said it was striking Hamas targets in the central Gaza Strip, the Times of Israel reported.Â

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  Biden has urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to plan for who will govern Gaza after the war. During the CNN interview, Biden said, “We’ve got to think through what is happening after this is over in Gaza. Who is going to occupy Gaza?”. Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners have called for Israel to permanently occupy Gaza and re-establish settlements in the Palestinian territory.Â

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  On Wednesday, the Hezbollah terror group claimed responsibility for launching anti-tank guided missiles and mortars from Lebanon at what it said was a military position in the area of the northern border community of Malkia. The Israel Defense Forces said at least two projectiles were fired from Lebanon at the Malkia area, but did not immediately release information on possible casualties.

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  Following the Hezbollah attack, Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant vowed to return the tens of thousands of Israelis displaced by Hezbollah’s attacks back to their homes, saying “it could be a hot summer,” hinting at the possibility of an escalation on the northern border.

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