Israel ignores Blinken’s plea as it vows to push ahead with offensive in Rafah

Netanyahu unmoved by threat of losing US support over attack on city

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is determined to push ahead with the move, despite the potential for disaster on the civilian population. Photo: Getty

Humeyra Pamuk

US secretary of state Antony Blinken said yesterday he has still not seen a plan for Israel’s planned offensive on the southern Gaza city of Rafah that would protect civilians, repeating that Washington could not support such an assault.

Mr Blinken and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu met in Jerusalem for two-and-a-half hours, after which Israel repeated that the Rafah operation would go ahead despite the US position and a UN warning that it would lead to “tragedy”.