NetanyahurejectsU.S.pleatohaltRafahattack,agreestotalkinWashington_GuangmingOnlinePeopleareseenamongtherubbleofadestroyedbuildinginthesouthernGazaStripcityofRafah,onMarch19,2024.(PhotobyYasserQudih/Xinhua)JERUSALEM,March19(Xinhua)--IsraeliPrimeMinisterBenjaminNetanyahuonTuesdayrejectedtheU.S.calltocancelagroundoperationinRafahcity,whereabout1.5milliondisplacedPalestiniansresided,butagreedtosendadelegationtoWashingtonfordiscussions.TheWhiteHouseconfirmedinastatementthatNetanyahuandU.S.PresidentJoeBidenagreedinaphonescallonMonday,thattheirteamswouldmeet"soon"inWashingtonto"exchangeviewsanddiscussalternativeapproaches"toamajorgroundoperationinRafah.Netanyahu'sofficesaidinastatementthatthedelegation,ledbyStrategicAffairsMinisterRonDermer,willbedispatchednextweek"forthesakeofthecontinuationofthefighting."EarlieronTuesday,Netanyahusaidinanaddresstotheparliament'sForeignAffairsandDefenseCommitteethatagroundassaultistheonlywaytodefeatHamasmilitantsinRafah.Hesaidhe"madeitasclearaspossible"toBidenthatIsraelis"determinedtocompletetheeliminationof(Hamas)battalionsinRafah,andthereisnowaytodothiswithoutagroundincursion."PeoplewaittogetfreefoodinthesouthernGazaStripcityofRafah,onMarch18,2024.(PhotobyRizekAbdeljawad/Xinhua)Meanwhile,Israelitroopshavecontinuedtheirraidontheal-ShifaHospitalcompoundinGazaCityforthesecondday,attackingtheenclave'slargesthospitalwithtanksandairstrikes.TheIsraelDefenseForces(IDF)saidinastatementthatthetroopskilledmorethan50Palestinianmilitantsandabout300havebeendetainedduringtheraid,whichtargeted"senior"Hamasmilitants.TwoIsraelisoldierswerekilledduringtheraid,IDFannounced.IsraellauncheditsoffensiveonGazaonOct.7inresponsetoHamas'sattackandimmediatelyimplementedablockadeonwater,food,electricity,andmedicine,creatingacuteshortages.PeopleinspectadestroyedbuildingafteranIsraeliairstrikeinthesouthernGazaStripcityofRafah,March19,2024.(PhotobyKhaledOmar/Xinhua)UNagenciesandaidorganizationsassertthatthequantityofaidpermittedbyIsraeltoenterGazafallsshortofthedesperateneedsrequiredtopreventtheimminentspreadoffamine."ProjectedimminentfamineinGazacanbeprevented,"UNHighCommissionerforHumanRightsVolkerTurksaidinavideostatement."TheextentofIsrael'srestrictionsonentryofaid,togetherwiththemannerinwhichitconductshostilities,mayamounttouseofstarvationasamethodofwar,"hewarned.HisremarkscameadayaftertheIntegratedFoodSecurityPhaseClassification(IPC)releasedareportalarmingthat"famineisimminentinthenortherngovernoratesandprojectedtooccuranytimebetweenmid-MarchandMay2024."Thewarhasleftabout1.1millionpeople,abouthalfofGaza'spopulation,experiencing"catastrophic"hunger,accordingtothereport.TheUNReliefandWorksAgencyforPalestineRefugees(UNRWA)warnedonsocialmediaplatformXthatatleast23childrenhavealreadydiedofacutemalnutritionandanincreasingnumberofchildrenareonthebrinkofdeathduetostarvation,mainlyinnorthernGaza.AvolunteerdistributesfreefoodinthesouthernGazaStripcityofRafah,onMarch18,2024.(PhotobyRizekAbdeljawad/Xinhua)Israelhasdenieditwasobstructingaidtrucks.CommentingonthereportonX,theofficeofCoordinationofGovernmentActivitiesintheTerritories,agovernmentalbody,saidthatmorethan200,000tonsoffoodenteredGazasincethestartofthewar,over1,250packageswereairdroppedandover150aidtrucksreachednorthernGazainthelasttwoweeks.ThePalestiniantollinGazahasreached31,819,theHamas-runHealthMinistrysaidTuesday.Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.