Opposition leader Yair Lapid opened his party’s meeting and addressed the security situation, sharply criticizing Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Lapid said: "Four of the weakest Hamas battalions are in Rafah and we will have to deal with them, but it is a long process.”
Lapid added that the military operation in Rafah "doesn't need a date. We need to take orderly action and first of all deal with the Philadelphi Corridor, which requires an agreement with the Egyptians and discussions with the Palestinian Authority. Then we have to evacuate 1.3 million people before we can carry out an operation in Rafah."
Lapid also expressed his gratitude to the Israeli Air Force pilots and officers, as well as to the military and strategic umbrella that we received from President Biden and other countries on Saturday night, saying, “They saved the State of Israel from a terrible disaster.”
He continued, "On Saturday night the US proved to us that it is keeping to our agreement. This was a practical realization of the 'Jerusalem Declaration', which I signed with President Biden in July 2022, stating that, 'The strategic partnership between the US and Israel is founded on shared values, common interests, and true friendship. The US and Israel have an obligation to work together, with other partners, to confront Iran's aggression, whether directly or through other terrorist organizations, such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Islamic Jihad.”