A senior fellow at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America has warned that the Israeli people are "unified" in wanting to destroy Hamas and put an end to the war against the terrorist organisation.
Since the attacks began on October 7, over 30,000 people (28,473 Palestinian and 1,410 Israeli) have been killed, and almost two million people have been displaced to Rafah, where civilians have been blocked from crossing into Egypt.
A high-level security source has recently denied claims that the Egyptian authorities had fortified the walls and fences across Egypt's border to block any infiltration attempts into the North Sinai province.
The source told The New Arab that the Egyptian border authorities have "only been performing repairs" on the wall separating Egypt from Gaza, and "installing new barbed wires" in damaged spots, adjusting the border with Gaza.
John Hannah says Israel must take control of the Rafah crossing
Reuters / GBN America
In a discussion with GBN America, host Jacob Rees-Mogg claimed Hamas "must be destroyed" and Rafah is the "crucial conduit" for arms coming in for smuggling, and Hamas has "been able and have the munitions it needs to attack Israel".
Senior fellow at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America John Hannah said that unless the authorities "take Rafah and eliminate Hamas control" of the border, they will "not succeed" in the mission of destroying Hamas.
Jacob asked Hannah: "If Rafah were to be left alone, then Israel's security couldn't be guaranteed?"
Hannah replied: "You're absolutely right."
Hamas began their attacks on Israel on October 7 2023
Reuters
Hannah told GBN America: "The fact that this war has gone on for four months, as somebody who worked in the US government for almost 20 years, frankly I find surprising."
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Hannah explained: "I'm very heartened by it and obviously the scale and scope of just how awful the massacres and atrocities are of October 7 play into that.
"But I do agree with you that we are now, through a combination of international pressures and domestic pressures that different players are feeling, including there in the United States, we're now putting this kind of pressure on Israel and my hope is that Israel knows what it needs to do."
Discussing the Israeli defence efforts in stopping the war, Hannah claimed: "I think the Israeli people are unified that they cannot allow Hamas to continue to exist on that border.
"If Israel and the Zionist promise and enterprise are to be vindicated and to carry through, they've got to see this war through to the end."
John Hannah says the Israeli people are 'unified' against Hamas
GBN America
Hannah then warned that it will be a "very difficult operation" for Israel to go to Rafah and reclaim control against Hamas, stating it is "important that the IDF prepare carefully".
He added: "Rafah is the lung through which the Hamas army breathes.
"It's the critical node and smuggling point through which Iran has been able to provide Hamas with extraordinary military capabilities over the last 10 to 15 years.
"There are over now a million displaced Palestinians on that border that need to be moved away as much as possible."