WASHINGTON: The US Secretary of state Antony Blinken has reaffirmed Washington’s stance against a major offensive on Rafah during his call with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. This was stated by State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller in a statement via social media.
He said that Blinken asked Gallant to expand the entry points for humanitarian help and aid into the Gaza Strip.
The latest call comes shortly following Blinken told the media that Israelis still lacked a “credible” plan to protect civilian population in Rafah. Earlie, he had said Biden’s administration cannot support a major Israeli military offensive without such a plan.
The US and other nations, as well as top UN officials, have warned that a full-out attack on Rafah could have a disastrous impact on the refugees driven there by fighting in Gaza, many of them living in distressed conditions.
The United Nations said that more than 300,000 Palestinian people have fled Rafah as Israel expands its operation in Rafah.
Israel sends forces back into north Gaza, with witnesses reporting sighting tanks in the Jabalia refugee camp, Sabra and Zeitoun neighbourhoods, Arab media reported. The ground strike follows a night of intense air attack in the region.
In another development, Egypt says it is going to formally join the lawsuit filed by South Africa against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which blames Israel of violating its obligations under the Genocide Convention in Gaza.
Gaza Health Ministry said that more than 35,034 people have been killed and more than 78,755 wounded in Israeli brutal strikes on Gaza since Oct. 7.
