Rafah is one of the largest cities in the Gaza Strip, located on its far southern end on the border with Egypt.
The city is the site of the Rafah border crossing, the only entry and exit point out of Gaza and into Egypt, compared to the other border crossings that go into Israel.
Rafah is partially divided, with part of the city being located on the Egyptian side of the border. A network of smuggling tunnels run beneath the city and crossing in an attempt to circumvent the blockade around Gaza.
Egyptian and Qatari mediators working on a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas will reconvene in Doha this week.
If Egypt begins to turn on Israel due to the Rafah operation, it could have widespread effects.
"If we want to defeat Hamas, we have to defeat Hamas in Rafah, just like we did in the rest of the Gaza Strip," he said.
What is at stake, Netanyahu said, is Israel’s “existence, liberty, security and prosperity.”
Egypt spoke up two days after South Africa turned to the ICJ and asked that it order Israel to stop its military operation in Rafah.
The architect of the October 7 massacre is believed to be protecting himself with a group of Israeli hostages he uses as human shields.
Israelis are generally pessimistic about the future of Israeli democracy and Israel's national security.
Biden has made clear to Israel that if it "launches this major military operation to Rafah, then there are certain systems that we're not going to be supporting and supplying for that operation."
The information offered by the US reportedly includes details regarding the whereabouts of Hamas leaders and the terror group's tunnels.
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