The main entry point for humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip and refuge for more than a million civilians who fled bombings in the north of the enclave, the town of Rafah is in the sights of the Israeli army .
The prospect of a military operation in this overpopulated city arouses the concerns of many countries. Faced with a situation that could have disastrous consequences, international diplomacy is activated.
“Everyone goes to Tel Aviv. To beg: “Please don’t do this. Protect civilians. Don’t kill so many.” How much is too much? What is the standard? But Netanyahu doesn’t listen to anyone. They are going to evacuate. Or this ? On the moon ? Where are they going to evacuate these people?“, said Josep Borrell, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission.
The United Kingdom also expressed its fears.
“We think it is impossible to wage a war among these people. They have nowhere to go. They cannot go south to Egypt, they cannot go north and return home, because their homes have been destroyed” said David Cameron, British Foreign Secretary.
In a television speech on Wednesday February 7, Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the IDF to prepare an offensive on Rafah, which according to him would be the “last bastion” of Hamas.
On Monday, a military operation in the heart of the city allowed the release of two hostages, two men aged 60 and 70. An operation which would have left at least a hundred dead according to Hamas.
Faced with the threat of a large-scale offensive, Joe Biden announced Monday that a pause “of at least six weeks” in the fighting between Israel and Hamas was under discussion.
For its part, the UN declared that it would not join in a forced evacuation of the inhabitants of Rafah.