TEL AVIV: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has lashed out at his strongest allies who have challenged him over his determination to send ground forces into the southern Gaza city of Rafah, despite international fears for the fate of Palestinian civilians sheltering there.

“No amount of international pressure will stop us from realising all the goals of the war. To do this, we will also operate in Rafah,” Mr Netanyahu told a cabinet meeting.

The US, which provides Israel with billions of dollars in military assistance, has said it cannot support a Rafah operation without a “credible, achievable, executable plan” to shelter civilians from harm.

US Senate Leader Chuck Schumer, a Jewish American, said Mr Netanyahu had “lost his way” and urged Israel to hold new elections. Mr Netanyahu hit back, saying the senator’s comments were “totally inappropriate”.

“We’re not a banana republic,” the PM said. “The people of Israel will choose when they will have elections, and who they’ll elect, and it’s not something that will be foisted on us.”

UN World Health Organisation chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged Israel “in the name of humanity” not to launch a Rafah invasion. But Mr Netanyahu says an assault on Rafah is crucial to wipe put the Hamas leadership.

Israel on Monday said it had raided Gaza’s main hospital Al-Shifa, saying the complex was being used by senior Hamas militants.

“The operation is based on intelligence information indicating the use of the hospital by senior Hamas terrorists,” the military said.