While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has emphasized his intention to carry out ground operations in Rafah, at the southern end of the Gaza Strip, governments around the world, including US President Biden, have expressed concern about further civilian casualties.
Israeli military attack on Rafah on the 12th
Reuters reported on the 12th that at least 37 people were killed and many others injured in an attack by Israeli forces in Rafah.
Israeli Prime Minister justifies attack again
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, in an interview aired on ABC TV on the 11th. He once again justified the attack on Rafah by saying, ``The argument that we should not attack Rafah is the same as telling Israel to lose the war.''
Hamas executives run out of room to negotiate hostage release
Meanwhile, senior Hamas officials have warned local media that if the attack on Rafah intensifies, there will be no room for any negotiations to free the hostages.
President Biden speaks by phone with Prime Minister Netanyahu
Against this backdrop, the U.S. White House announced that President Biden spoke by phone with Prime Minister Netanyahu on the 11th, during which he said, ``We are committed to the safety and support of the more than 1 million civilians evacuated to Rafah.'' "We reiterated our belief that military operations against Rafah should not be undertaken unless there is a viable plan to guarantee them."
French Foreign Ministry statement: ``The attack will result in a catastrophic humanitarian situation''
In addition, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on the 11th, saying, ``A large-scale attack on Rafah will bring about a new dimension of catastrophic humanitarian situation,'' urging Israel to take concrete measures to protect its residents. I asked for it.
Egypt, which mediates the negotiations, also calls for increased pressure on Israel.
Furthermore, on the 11th, Egypt's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, who is acting as a mediator in the negotiations, said in a statement, ``Efforts by the international community are essential to prevent attacks on the area where approximately 1.4 million Palestinians are currently sheltering.'' '' called on all countries to increase pressure on Israel.
According to health officials in the Gaza Strip, 28,176 people have been killed so far, and there are concerns that the number of civilian casualties will increase if the attacks on Rafah intensify.