The US will not support an Israeli military operation without adequate protection of civilians in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

A two-and-a-half-hour meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Anthony Blinken took place. After the meeting, Israel reiterated its position. However, Blinken commented that despite the warnings of the United States and the United Nations, the operation in Rafah will be carried out tragically.

Blinken told reporters, "We cannot in any way support the operation of Israeli forces in Rafah without the protection of private citizens."

He said, we have other plans to deal with the ongoing challenge of Hamas. Therefore, there is no need to carry out a large-scale military operation in Rafah.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the Israeli government said that Israel is determined to destroy the structure of the war of Hamas. Because there are four to five battalions of Hamas troops in Rafah. We have shared our plans with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.