China News Service, Beijing, March 18. Comprehensive news: Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu stated on the 17th that the Israeli army will conduct a ground offensive in Rafah, southern Gaza, as planned, triggering concerns from many parties about large-scale civilian casualties.
According to the Times of Israel, Netanyahu said on the 17th that the Israeli army would conduct a ground offensive in Rafah in southern Gaza as planned.
The move raised fears of mass civilian casualties, given that most Palestinians seek asylum there.
CNN reported that German Chancellor Scholz said on the 17th that Israel’s attack on Rafah could hinder peace agreement negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).
He questioned whether there were other ways for Israel to achieve its goal of eliminating Hamas.
Scholz first met with Jordanian King Abdullah II in Aqaba, Jordan, on the 17th, and then met with Netanyahu in Jerusalem.
Speaking in Jordan, he said that Israel's offensive has caused a large number of casualties and will make it very difficult for peaceful development in the region.
According to the Palestinian News Agency, Abdullah II called on the international community to take urgent action to achieve an immediate and permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip when meeting with Scholz in Jordan.
According to reports, during the meeting, Abdullah II and Scholz also warned Israel of the serious consequences of the attack on Rafah, saying that it would further exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
CNN reported that the White House stated on the 17th that it had not yet seen the Israeli government formulate a "credible" plan on how to protect hundreds of thousands of civilians in southern Gaza.
According to reports, some Palestinians who had heeded Israel's evacuation warnings were killed by Israeli attacks in areas considered safe by the Israeli army.
According to Reuters, European Commission President von der Leyen said on the 17th that the Gaza Strip is facing famine and a ceasefire agreement must be reached quickly in the war between Israel and Hamas.
"Gaza is facing famine and we cannot accept this," von der Leyen told reporters in Cairo after signing a cooperation agreement with Egyptian President Sisi.
Sisi said that Egypt, the European Union and many European leaders have expressed opposition to Israel's military operations in Rafah.
This military operation will double the humanitarian disaster suffered by civilians in the Gaza Strip.
According to France 24 TV, mediation talks between Israel and Hamas were originally scheduled to start on the 17th, but due to the convening of the Israeli Security Cabinet meeting, the talks were postponed by at least one day to the 18th.
According to the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, the Israeli cabinet will discuss the delegation's trip to Qatar to participate in ceasefire negotiations.
Catherine Russell, executive director of UNICEF, said in a program broadcast by CBS on the 17th that more than 13,000 children have been killed in the Gaza Strip since October 7 last year.
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