US warns Israel of 'major insurgency' if there is 'full-on' assault on Rafah

The US on Wednesday warned about a lack of a "concrete plan" regarding post-war Gaza, adding that Israel will inherit a "major insurgency" if it moves forward with a full assault into the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where 1.3 million Palestinians have been sheltering.

"If Israel goes full on into Rafah to eliminate the remaining battalions as they put it, the problem will not be solved," Secretary of State Antony Blinken told House of Representatives lawmakers.

"There will be thousands and thousands of remaining armed Hamas even after that happens. Israel will inherit a major insurgency in Gaza that it will be responsible for," he added.

He warned against a lack of concrete plan regarding post-war Gaza.

"There needs to be a concrete plan that does not involve Israel's reoccupation does not involve Hamas continuing to rule Gaza and does not involve lawlessness and anarchy," he said.

Blinken said the US shared with Israel the "other ways" of "more effectively getting at Hamas" in a way that "lessens the danger to civilians"​​​​​​​

About the Biden administration's decision to halt the controversial shipment of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel, Blinken reiterated the US' concerns over the use of that kind of weapon in a densely populated area.

"We have an ongoing conversation with Israel about this and about our concerns about the use of these particular weapons in that particular way, in that particular place, and those concerns remain but the other assistance that we've been providing for Israel's defense continues and will continue," he said.

More than 35,600 Palestinians have been killed, the vast majority of whom have been women and children, and nearly 79,900 others injured since an Israeli onslaught began in October following a Hamas-led cross-border attack on Israel.

Less than 1,200 people were killed Oct. 7 in Israel, and hundreds were taken to Gaza as hostages.