Netanyahu: There is no force in the world that will stop us

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that Israel will continue with its goal of eliminating all Hamas brigades, including those in the city of Rafah in southern Gaza. Commenting on his statements, a Hamas spokesperson told Al Jazeera that this calls into question the purpose of the ongoing negotiations in Cairo.

“There is no force in the world that will stop us. Many forces are trying, but it will not help because this enemy, after what it has done, will never do it again,” Netanyahu said.

The Israeli army claims that four Hamas brigades are still operating in Rafah, where about 1.5 million displaced Palestinians reside. Critics of Netanyahu’s plan to attack Rafah warn that it will end in “catastrophe” for the civilian population.

Netanyahu earlier reiterated his stance in a video statement in Hebrew that a ground operation in Rafah is necessary for victory in the war, stating that a date has already been set for the operation.

Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zahry told Al Jazeera that Netanyahu’s statements “raise questions about the purpose of continuing negotiations” while talks on a potential ceasefire are ongoing in Cairo.

“The success of any negotiations depends on ending the aggression,” he said.