As negotiations continue over a ceasefire in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to invade the southern city of Rafah with or without a ceasefire deal. In a statement, Netanyahu said, “The idea that we will halt the war before achieving all of its goals is out of the question.” Netanyahu’s statement came hours before U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel.
On Tuesday, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres called again for an immediate ceasefire and warned an Israeli invasion of Rafah would be an “absolutely devastating tragedy.”

Secretary-General António Guterres: “For the sake of the people of Gaza, for the sake of the hostages and their families in Israel, and for the sake of the region and the wider world, I strongly encourage the government of Israel and the Hamas leadership to reach now an agreement. Without that, I fear the war, with all its consequences both in Gaza and across the region, will worsen exponentially.”