TEL AVIV, Israel (NewsNation) — Nearly two billion Muslims worldwide Monday are commencing their monthlong fasting period for Ramadan as conflict continues in Gaza without a cease-fire agreement in the Israel-Hamas war.
Additionally, there’s speculation about where Israel will launch an invasion of Rafah in southeastern Gaza, which, in an MSNBC interview Saturday, President Joe Biden indicated is a “red line” that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should not cross.
Netanyahu on Sunday pushed back against Biden’s latest comments.
“Well, I don’t know exactly what the president meant, but if he meant … that I’m pursuing private policies against the majority, the wish of the majority of Israelis, and that this is hurting the interests of Israel, then he’s wrong on both counts,” Netanyahu said in a clip of an interview with Politico, released by the prime minister’s office Sunday.
Biden and his aides have urged Netanyahu in strong terms not to launch a major offensive in Rafah until Israel crafts a plan for mass evacuation of civilians from the last area of Gaza it has not yet invaded with ground forces.
Negotiations between Israel and Hamas are at a standstill while the United Nations warns of a hunger crisis in Gaza, with more than half a million people at risk of starvation. More than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million people are sheltering in the Rafah area.
Meanwhile, a U.S. ship is en route to Gaza from Virginia to set up a massive floating temporary aid port, but it may take weeks before the pier becomes operational.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza takes center stage as additional aid was airdropped into the region over the weekend, with thousands of meals landing on the ground as Gazans scramble to collect them.
Biden’s comments regarding building a pier off Gaza’s coast are gaining attention, as the U.S. believes it is the most effective method to deliver aid directly to Gaza. U.S. troops have been deployed and are en route to the Gaza coast to begin their construction process — a move supported by Israelis.
A Spanish NGO ship is set to leave Cyprus and bring aid to the enclave, with the President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides emphasizing the importance of maximizing aid efforts.
“The Cyprus maritime corridor aims at scaling up aid by complementing other routes that include the all-important Rafah crossing point from Egypt and the airdrops from Jordan. It is also clear that we are at the point where we simply have to unlock all possible routes,” Christodoulides said.
Meanwhile, in Israel, protests demanding the release of hostages have continued throughout the weekend.
No deal has been reached, with the U.S. stating that all parties are still actively working behind the scenes to secure an agreement.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this story.
