Israel emphasizes stance on ground operations in Rafah, countries express concerns. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for a concentrated attack on Rafah on the southern tip of the Gaza Strip, citing it as an important base for the Islamic organization Hamas.
French Foreign Ministry statement: ``The attack will result in a catastrophic humanitarian situation'' According to health officials, 28,176 people have been killed so far, and there are concerns that the number of civilian casualties will increase if the attacks on Rafh intensify.