Israel continues strikes on Rafah, prepares for potential ground attack after ceasefire talks with Hamas break down

Israel continues missile strikes on the city of Rafah, Hamas’ last stronghold in Gaza, after ceasefire talks with the terrorist regime once again fell apart. During negotiation efforts in Cairo, Egypt, Hamas reportedly demanded an initial 12-week ceasefire, double the six-week timeframe offered by the . Air strikes continue on Rafah as the IDF marshals manpower and military equipment outside the city limits in preparation for a ground invasion. Palestinians have fled the city en masse as the conflict comes to a boiling point, with over 100,000 internally displaced refugees setting up tent cities and temporary shanty towns outside Rafah. The Israeli government’s determination to enter Rafah is unpopular with Western powers, which have repeatedly urged the Jewish nation to avoid the operation due to the likely massive loss of civilian lives involved. has vowed to follow through with the eradication of Hamas — even if it loses Israel its allies. “If we must stand alone, we shall stand alone,” Netanyahu said. “If we must, we shall fight with our fingernails. But we have much more than our fingernails, and with that strength of spirit, with God’s help, together we shall be victorious.” is vowing to withhold weapons from Israel if the Jewish State goes forward with its invasion of Rafah. “Civilians have been killed in Gaza as a consequence of those bombs and other ways in which they go after population centers,” Biden told CNN’s Erin Burnett released Wednesday. “I made it clear that if they go into Rafah – they haven’t gone in Rafah yet – if they go into Rafah, I’m not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, to deal with the cities – that deal with that problem,” Biden said. Airstrikes were fired into Jabalya camp in the north of Gaza overnight. Further strikes occurred at the same time in the city of Khan Younis. A total of twelve people were killed in the bombings. Digital’s Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report.