Israel is facing criticism from several countries over its planned offensive in Rafah, located in the southern part of Gaza where many Palestinian refugees reside. The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, has insisted that the ground offensive would go ahead, claiming that an evacuation plan was being prepared. However, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron has expressed concern over the fate of over half of Gaza’s population, who are sheltering in Rafah. Saudi Arabia has also warned of “very serious repercussions” if the city was to be stormed.
In addition, the United Nations has stated that there is nowhere safe for the more than a million Palestinians who have already fled to Rafah. Aid groups have stated that it is not possible to evacuate all the civilians from the city on the border with Egypt. Dutch FM Hanke Bruins Slot has warned of “many civilian casualties,” while Gaza’s Hamas rulers have warned that there could be tens of thousands of casualties and any operation would undermine talks about a possible release of Israeli hostages held in the strip.
Israel launched its operations in the Palestinian enclave after Hamas gunmen killed over 1,200 people in southern Israel and took about 240 people hostage on 7 October. On Sunday, the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza reported that 112 more Palestinians had been killed by the Israeli military over the previous day, bringing the total death toll to over 28,100 and more than 67,500 injured. It is estimated that 1.5 million Palestinians are seeking refuge from Israeli combat operations in the rest of the Gaza Strip, most of whom are living in tents in Rafah.
The US has warned Israel that an invasion of Rafah could lead to a catastrophe, while the EU and the UN have also expressed their own concerns. UN humanitarian co-ordinator Jamie McGoldrick, who recently visited Gaza to assess the situation, has stated that people in Rafah would have nowhere to go if Israeli troops launched their offensive. He said, “The safe areas that were declared are no longer safe. And if these people have to move – where can they move? We are really fearful of the horrific nature of where we are could only ever get worse.
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