'Haven’t civilians suffered enough death?': Guterres on Rafah invasion
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The UN chief urges the Israeli occupation to end any escalation and "engage constructively in the ongoing diplomatic talks."
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Smoke rises after an Israeli airstrike east of Rafah in Gaza on May 6, 2024. (AP)
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for the quick reopening of Gaza borders to let crucial supplies in and urged "Israel" to "stop any escalation" after sending tanks into Rafah.
Guterres expressed he was "disturbed and distressed" by the renewed aggression, adding that "things are moving in the wrong direction."
He urged the immediate reopening of the Rafah and Karem Abu Salem crossings and urged the Israeli occupation to end any escalation and "engage constructively in the ongoing diplomatic talks."
"Haven’t we seen enough?" he stated, adding, "Haven’t civilians suffered enough death and destruction? Make no mistake –- a full-scale assault on Rafah will be a human catastrophe."
ICRC calls for protection of civilians
As "Israel" issues orders to further displace Palestinians in Rafah, the ICRC reiterated the necessity of doing everything necessary to "spare civilian lives and to ensure they have access to the basic necessities for life, including food, water, and medical care."
It is called for keeping the necessary steps to increase the flow of aid into Gaza in place.
The ICRC reiterated the need to protect the medical mission, including facilities, ambulances, doctors, and nurses, which were one of "Israel's" targets.
Meanwhile, an Israeli official relayed to NBC News that "Israel's" invasion into Rafah will be “a very limited” operation meant to achieve tactical military goals against the Palestinian Resistance and pressure it into ceasefire negotiations on "Israel's" terms.
The unnamed official added that this does not indicate the launch of a large-scale ground offensive into the area, something Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has been threatening to do for months.
The Israeli war cabinet approved a military operation in Rafah "in order to apply military pressure on Hamas, with the goal of making progress on freeing the hostages and the other war aims," Netanyahu's office announced in a statement yesterday.
This statement comes as Israeli negotiators are heading to Cairo today to see the differences between the Israeli-approved proposal and the Hamas-approved proposal, as confirmed by the official as well.
The Rafah and Karem Abu Salem crossings are the only routes to deliver aid to southern Gaza, the latter being under the full physical control of the occupation forces, while the former, despite its entry being under Egyptian authority, remains subject to Israeli approval or rejection by force of strikes and shelling.
Sources told Axios that Israelis believe that capturing the Rafah crossing will pressure the Resistance, Hamas, by putting the occupation in direct control of the aid entering densely-populated southern Gaza.
IOF invasion of Rafah results in halt of passenger and aid traffic
The Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip has entered its 214th day, amid intense bombardment on the city of Rafah, with airstrikes targeting Gaza City and its northern areas around the Yarmouk area, east of Jabalia, Beit Lahia, and Beit Hanoun. This continuous bombardment has resulted in the martyrdom and injury of many Palestinians.
In further details, local media reported that Israeli occupation military vehicles have advanced toward the Rafah border crossing in the southern Gaza Strip, with several artillery deliberately aimed at densely-populated residential buildings.
Moreover, local media underscored that Israeli military vehicles are now positioned about 200 meters from the Rafah border crossing, firing several shells at the crossing's buildings.
Hamas earlier vowed that an invasion of Rafah would not be a "picnic" for the "fascist occupation army." It also indicated that an invasion would disregard the fate of Israeli captives held in Gaza and the "ongoing humanitarian catastrophe" in the besieged territory.
