Many countries and organizations have called upon the Israeli authorities to halt their military operations in the city of Rafah, located in the southern Gaza Strip. They have warned of the serious repercussions of the imminent attack on the city, which is home to hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees who sought shelter there due to Israeli bombardments and massacres against the population in central and northern Gaza.
China has urged Israel to cease its military operation in Rafah as a matter of urgency, cautioning against a humanitarian catastrophe in the city should the fighting continue. In a statement, the Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that China closely monitors the situation in the Rafah area and opposes and condemns actions that harm civilians and violate international law.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel denounced the Israeli attacks on Rafah, describing them as brutal and heinous. He criticized Israel for its aggression against the place where over a million Palestinians have sought refuge.
In Germany, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock expressed grave concern over Israel’s announcement of a major military assault on Rafah.
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, warned that Israeli attacks on Rafah would have serious consequences for Israel, with potential dire implications for Tel Aviv should the Israeli occupation expand its war crimes and genocide to include Palestinian refugees in Rafah.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson strongly condemned the Israeli assault on Rafah, cautioning that the impending Israeli ground attack on the city could lead to a humanitarian disaster and constitute a new war crime against the Palestinian people.
Pakistan stated that Tel Aviv was violating the International Court of Justice’s orders aimed at protecting Gaza’s population from genocide. The Pakistani Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli attack on Rafah, warning that an incursion into the city would exacerbate the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and jeopardize efforts to reach a potential ceasefire.
The Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan, expressed deep concern over the impending Israeli ground incursion into Rafah. He emphasized the importance of adhering to the laws of armed conflict, stressing the necessity of abiding by the international rules governing wars and cautioning about the repercussions of non-compliance.
Amnesty International warned of an impending and real genocide threat looming over Rafah, where civilians have no safe haven to escape the bombardment. The organization noted that the population of Rafah has multiplied fivefold since the start of the Israeli offensive on Gaza.
The Israeli army is preparing for a ground operation in Rafah in southern Gaza after forcing residents from the besieged areas in the north and center of the strip to seek refuge there. Despite international warnings of the consequences of invading the densely populated city of refugees, the Israeli army conducted a series of intensive airstrikes in various areas of the city yesterday, resulting in the deaths and injuries of dozens of Palestinians, including children and women.
Since October 7th, Israel has been waging a devastating war on the Gaza Strip, resulting in 28,340 martyrs and 67,984 wounded individuals, mostly children and women, in addition to thousands missing under the rubble, according to Palestinian and UN data.
