Enlarge image

Clouds of smoke over Rafah (February 18): Great concern about a massive military operation in the city

Photo: Said Khatib / AFP

From Washington to Canberra, from the EU to the United Nations: everyone is urging Israel to refrain from the announced military strike in Rafah. The consequences would probably be too drastic for the hundreds of thousands of people who have fled from the north to the city in the southernmost part of the Gaza Strip. But the Israeli government says it will not be deterred.

Minister Benny Gantz has now threatened to launch the planned offensive on Rafah at the beginning of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan. "The world must know and the Hamas leadership must know: If the hostages are not home by Ramadan, the fighting will continue everywhere, including in the Rafah region." This was said by the former Israeli army chief, who was part of Prime Minister Benjamin's war cabinet Netanyahu, on Sunday in Jerusalem. The Islamic fasting month of Ramadan is scheduled to begin around March 10th.

“To those who say the price is too high, I say clearly: Hamas has a choice. “You can surrender, release the hostages and the civilians in Gaza can celebrate Ramadan,” Gantz continued.

Despite international warnings, Netanyahu is insisting on the military offensive. Netanyahu said on Saturday evening that anyone who called on Israel to abandon the offensive was essentially demanding that his country "lose the war" against the radical Islamic Hamas.

At the same time, he emphasized that the offensive would also take place in the event of an agreement with Hamas to release the Israeli hostages. Even if such an agreement is reached, "we will move into Rafah," said the head of government.

In Rafah on the border with Egypt, around 1.4 million Palestinians have sought refuge from the fighting. A number of countries, including Israel's closest ally the USA, are therefore calling for the offensive to be abandoned. Negotiations are currently underway in the Egyptian capital Cairo regarding a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. So far, the talks brokered by the USA, Egypt and Qatar have not produced any results.

Fighters from Hamas, which is classified as a terrorist organization by the EU and the USA, entered Israel on October 7th and committed atrocities there, mainly against civilians. According to Israeli information, around 1,160 people were killed and around 250 were taken hostage to the Gaza Strip. According to Israeli information, 130 of the hostages are still in the Palestinian territory and 30 of them are said to be dead.

UN court rejects South Africa's application

In response to the Hamas attack, Israel set its goal of destroying Hamas. According to Hamas figures, which cannot be independently verified, more than 28,900 people have been killed in the massive military operation in the Gaza Strip.

At the weekend, the United Nations International Court of Justice rejected an urgent request from South Africa to review the legality of a military offensive planned by Israel in Rafah. The dangerous situation in the place full of refugees requires "the immediate and effective implementation of the court's requests," which it issued at the end of January, the court announced on Friday at its headquarters in The Hague. These requests would apply to the entire Gaza Strip, including Rafah. “It is not necessary to adopt additional measures,” the court stated.

The judges ordered Israel in January to prevent genocide in the Gaza Strip and to do everything in its power to protect the lives of Palestinians. South Africa accuses Israel of violating the Genocide Convention. Israel firmly rejects the allegations.

jok/AFP