When Benjamin Netanyahu visited Israeli military recruits last week, he delivered a typically gung-ho speech about the "historic significance" of its war against Hamas in Gaza. "We are, in effect, defending the existence of our state," he told the young soldiers.

Netanyahu reiterated that Israel would move ahead with its offensive on Rafah, the southern Gazan city where more than 1mn people have sought sanctuary, despite western leaders' warnings that an assault on such a densely populated area would be disastrous. "No force in the world will stop us," he said.