The Israeli PM insists that he meant the Rafah offensive would pave the way for an eventual victory
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has clarified remarks he made in April ahead of the Rafah offensive that Israel was a “step away from victory” in the Gaza war.
With the war still ongoing more than five months later, the Israeli leader faced questions about the ill-timed remark during a press conference with foreign press on Wednesday. He attempted to clarify the statements he made in April, saying that the offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah would “pave the way” to victory rather than deliver it.
“What I meant to say [then] was that we were a step away from the critical thing that will pave our way to victory,” Netanyahu stated.
“I didn’t think that we could have this victory if we didn’t go into Rafah, and I withstood quite a bit of international pressure and American pressure to go into Rafah and to Philadelphi…