Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz stated today, Wednesday, that "the issue of a Palestinian state is not on the table right now." He explained, "The situation in Jerusalem and the West Bank is volatile, especially during the first Friday of Ramadan, and we must prepare for escalation." He continued, "The war cabinet is united regarding the necessity of carrying out a ground operation in Rafah."
Regarding Rafah, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan emphasized yesterday that the U.S. President will not support any Israeli military operation in Rafah that does not protect civilians. The U.S. official remarked that "the White House has not yet seen a reliable plan to implement that."
Ahead of the first Friday prayer of Ramadan, the Israeli police announced that they will be deploying "several thousand" of their personnel in the Old City of Jerusalem and its surroundings, as large numbers of worshippers are expected to arrive at Al-Aqsa Mosque.
