Netanyahu to Dutch PM: Operation in Rafah is necessary for victory

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met his Dutch counterpart, Mark Rutte, at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem.

"During their meeting, the fourth since the outbreak of the war, they emphasized to the Dutch prime minister that entering Rafah is essential to realizing the goals of the war and that unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state would be considered an achievement by Hamas," the statement from Netanyahu's office said.

The leaders discussed humanitarian aid issues. Netanyahu called on Rutte to join the maritime corridor initiative.

Prime Minister Netanyahu also added that Israel is determined to replace UNRWA in the Gaza Strip without compromising humanitarian aid and thanked Prime Minister Rutte for freezing funding to the agency.