(NewsNation) — Israeli forces pushed into Rafah Sunday as the U.S. and other world leaders warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to limit operations to protect civilians.

Israel has portrayed the southern Gaza city of Rafah as Hamas’ last stronghold, saying it must invade in order to succeed in its goals of dismantling the group and returning scores of hostages.

“If you’re a Gazan, you fled from the north and you’re in the south, and now you’re being asked to flee again to the west, and you have nothing, you don’t have a house, you don’t have an apartment, you don’t have clothes, you don’t have access to food, you don’t have access to medicine, you don’t have access to potable water,” said former Israeli ambassador and diplomat Alon Pinkas.

Pinkas joined NewsNation’s “Morning in America” to discuss what the operation in Rafah would mean for Israel’s support from the U.S.

“If Israel limits the operation and bases it on so-called intelligence-driven micro incursions, then the U.S. can tolerate those. look the other way, sort of justify it, even defend Israel in terms of the military justification,” Pinkas said.

“If this exceeds what I just described and becomes a ground operation, then it’s going to sour further the relationship. Now it’s going to sour further the relationship that’s already sour, that’s already cracked,” he added.

Rafah is considered Hamas’ last stronghold. It is also the last refuge in Gaza for more than a million civilians. Some 300,000 Palestinians have fled the city following evacuation orders from Israel, which says it must invade to dismantle Hamas and return scores of hostages taken in the Oct. 7 attack against Israel that sparked the war.