Top US general shares alternatives to possible Israeli Rafah offensive: report

A top U.S. general has proposed Washington’s alternatives to Israel’s expected military offensive on Rafah. Rafah is a city in southern Gaza where more than one million people have sought refuge from the rest of the Gaza Strip as a result of Israel’s war with Hamas.

Israel has said it intends to attack Rafah, Hamas’s last stronghold, and destroy four battalions in the southern Gaza city. However, the United States and other Western countries have expressed concerns about the consequences of the attack, including casualties.

Gen. Charles Q. Brown, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, called for securing Gaza’s border with Egypt to prevent weapons smuggling, isolating Rafah and launching targeted attacks, and establishing a joint control room to coordinate targeted operations, The Times of Israel reported.

The proposed plan also includes providing smooth and unimpeded humanitarian access in Rafah and enabling civilians to safely leave the area.

The senior general said the United States would not “accept” mass civilian casualties in Rafah, given the high civilian death toll in northern and central Gaza.

The proposal came into focus after Israeli Defense Minister Yov Gallant visited Washington last week.

Earlier, a visit by a high-level Israeli delegation to Washington to discuss alternatives to the Rafah offensive was canceled by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the United States abstained from a vote at the United Nations Security Council on a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

According to the Times of Israel, a U.S. official later said that the two sides were agreeing on a new date for the meeting.

Israel has been criticized by the international community for launching a deadly offensive in the Gaza Strip following Hamas’ attack on southern Israel on October 7 last year. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, more than 32,000 people have died in Gaza so far.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Netanyahu that Israel risks further global isolation if it attacks Rafah.