President Joe Biden has raised the current situation in Rafah in a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Thursday, and reiterated his view that a military operation should not proceed without a credible and executable plan for ensuring the safety of and support for the civilians in Rafah.
The two leaders also discussed the urgency of ensuring that humanitarian assistance is able to get to Palestinian civilians in desperate need.
The President and the Prime Minister discussed ongoing hostage negotiations, according to the White House. “The President reaffirmed his commitment to working tirelessly to support the release of all hostages as soon as possible, recognizing their appalling situation after 132 days in Hamas captivity.”
Israeli special forces raided Nasser Hospital, Gaza’s largest functioning medical facility, in search of Hamas militants.
A dozen people, mostly women and children, were reportedly killed in an Israeli airstrike on Nuseirat refugee camp.
Meanwhile, the leaders of Australia, Canada, and New Zealand issued a statement warning Israel against any offensive in Rafah, saying it would be “devastating” and “catastrophic.” These are some of the closest U.S. allies and part of the Five Eyes group.
The humanitarian situation in Rafah is dire, according to UN agencies.
Nearly 1.5 million people are now crammed into the southern city on the border with Egypt and with nowhere further to flee.
More than 28,000 people – mostly women and children – have been killed across Gaza in Israel’s retaliatory strikes since October 7, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.
Copyright © 2024, RTTNews.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
