US presents alternative plan for military operation in Rafah
General Charles Q. Brown (photo: Getty Images)
Head of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Charles Q. Brown, has presented Washington's proposal for an alternative to the ground offensive of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on the city of Rafah in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, reports The Times of Israel.
During a recent conversation with the Chief of Staff of the IDF, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, Charles Q. Brown stated that the US will not tolerate mass civilian casualties in Rafah, considering the number of civilian casualties in the northern and central parts of the Gaza Strip.
Brown summarized Washington's proposal, which includes protecting the Gaza-Egypt border using technological advancements to prevent weapon smuggling through the Philadelphi Corridor, isolating the city of Rafah, conducting targeted raids, and establishing a joint command center to coordinate targeted operations.
Israel-Hamas war: Offensive on Rafah
The Israeli military is planning to launch a ground invasion into the city of Rafah near the border with Egypt in the southern Gaza Strip. This is the last populated area under the control of the Palestinian Hamas movement.
However, the US disagrees with Tel Aviv's plans. Western countries and Egypt have expressed opposition to the invasion of the city, citing the risk of mass casualties among refugees. In response, Israel has proposed evacuating 1.4 million civilians to humanitarian zones in the central part of the region.
In mid-March, multilateral talks on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip began in Doha, Qatar.
On March 25, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip until the end of Ramadan. However, Israel refused to halt its advance on Hamas.
Recently, US and Israeli military officials discussed general concepts on how to limit harm to civilians during the advance on Rafah.
