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Children play in the rubble of a mosque in Rafah: A “humanitarian catastrophe with an announcement”
Photo: Mohammed Abed / AFP
Shortly before the expected attack on Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, Canada, Australia and New Zealand called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. They are “seriously concerned,” says a joint statement from the heads of government of the federal states. "A military operation in Rafah would be catastrophic," and a ceasefire is "urgently needed."
The countries' joint statement was released in response to reports of a planned Israeli offensive in Rafah. Israel has been preparing a ground attack on the city in the south of the Gaza Strip for days. According to Rafah, more than a million people from other parts of the Gaza Strip have been stranded in the face of Israeli attacks since October. Netanyahu ordered his army on Friday to present a "combined plan to evacuate the population and destroy the Hamas battalions" in Rafah.
Israel promises alleged safe evacuation
Before the offensive, Netanyahu calmed international concerns and promised the civilians holding out there a safe corridor. "We will provide the civilian population with a safe route out of the city," Netanyahu said, according to excerpts from an interview broadcast on US broadcaster ABC News on Sunday.
»We are working out a detailed plan for this. “We are not taking this matter lightly,” emphasized Netanyahu, according to the previously published interview excerpts, with a view to finding an escape route for civilians. Areas north of Rafah have already been cleared and can be used as safe zones for civilians, he said. At the same time, he emphasized that victory was “within reach”: “We will do it. We will take the remaining Hamas terror battalions and the last bastion of Rafah.”
The city also came under fire on Saturday. Palestinian security circles said that, among other things, five police officers were killed. The Israeli military said it killed two senior Hamas members in an attack.
In addition to Canada, Australia and New Zealand, Germany also expressed criticism. Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) called the threatened attacks on Rafah on X a “humanitarian catastrophe with an announcement.” The need in the city is “already unbelievable.” 1.3 million people sought protection from the fighting there in a very small space and could not "disappear into thin air."
The UN emergency aid coordinator Martin Griffiths also warns of an escalation: "I fear a massacre of people in Gaza," Griffiths wrote on Rafah was "crammed together" and was "facing death."
mrc/dpa/AFP/Reuters