As the Gaza war becomes more ferocious and tragic, the prospects for reaching a ceasefire agreement diminish, with the United States once again threatening to block a draft resolution in the UN Security Council.

Algeria requested that the Security Council vote tomorrow, Tuesday, on a text for a ceasefire, while Washington threatened to use its veto power.

The draft resolution rejects the “forced displacement of the Palestinian civilian population,” and calls for an end to this “violation of international law,” as well as the release of all prisoners.

American condemnation

The US Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said that referring the text to a vote threatens to undermine the ongoing negotiations to establish a new truce.

Invasion of Rafah

In the meantime, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Saturday his intention to carry out a ground attack in Rafah, where 1.4 million Palestinians are concentrated. Netanyahu said, “Everyone who wants to prevent us from carrying out an operation in Rafah is basically telling us to lose the war.” "I will not give in to that." In an indication of his determination, Netanyahu confirmed that the army would carry out its operation in Rafah even if an agreement was reached regarding the prisoners. He said, “Even if we accomplish this, we will enter Rafah.”

Israeli Minister and War Council member Benny Gantz said, in a speech before American Jewish leaders, that if the prisoners are not released by the time the month of Ramadan begins around the second week of March, Israel will expand the fighting to include Rafah as well.< /p>

Bloomberg News Agency quoted Gantz as saying, “Hamas has a choice. They can surrender, release the hostages, and then the people of Gaza can celebrate Ramadan.”

A Palestinian state

Yesterday, Israel formalized its objection to what it called “unilateral recognition” of a Palestinian state, saying that any agreement in this regard must be reached through direct negotiations. A statement stated that Netanyahu held a vote yesterday within the government on an “explanatory decision” in this regard and that this step was unanimously approved.

Netanyahu said at the beginning of the weekly cabinet meeting that this step comes after “what was reported in the international community about an attempt to impose a Palestinian state on Israel unilaterally.”

Netanyahu's office said that the official statement reflects that "Israel rejects explicit international dictates regarding a permanent agreement with the Palestinians, and such an arrangement can only be reached through direct negotiations between the two sides and without preconditions."