Bennett to CNN: ‘We have to take Rafah if we want Hamas to go away’

In an interview with CNN, former prime minister Naftali Bennett reiterates Israel’s position that a military operation in Rafah is necessary to eliminate the Hamas terror group.

“Almost every Israeli understands that we have to take Rafah if we want Hamas to go away,” Bennett says. “If we don’t destroy them fully they’ll reconstitute themselves.”

He says that the one million civilians sheltering in the southern city can be moved to “the area north of Khan Younis.”

“Look, it’s not a five-star hotel. It’s not pleasant there. Nothing here is something that we wanted to do,” he says.

Asked about reports that the White House is trying to push Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu out, he says, “Israel is a vibrant democracy and it’s no secret that there’s massive unrest in Israel vis-a-vis the political situation… but by the same token the overwhelming majority of Israelis support the goal, and the goal is to destroy Hamas – because we really don’t have any other choice.

Bennett posts on X, formerly Twitter, that he is continuing a “hasbara [advocacy] marathon” of interviews on foreign media, after he also spoke to Fox News yesterday.

https://twitter.com/naftalibennett/status/1767978119149810036