Which are reported to have killed 18 palestinians, 1a of them children. The israeli War Cabinet has been planning an offensive against hamas in rafah, where an estimated 1. 5 million displaced palestinians are sheltering. But the us and other allies have warned it against a full Scale Assault on the city. Israeli prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has criticised reported american plans to sanction the netzah yehuda battalion, a unit of the israeli military thats accused of Human Rights Violations in the west bank. Mr netanyahu said he was working to prevent sanctions he called the height of absurdity. The battalion of ultra orthodox soldiers has been at the centre of several incidents of violence against palestinian civilians. Theres been no official comment from washington