Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned this Sunday that “international pressure” would not prevent Israel from launching an offensive in Rafah, a town in the south of the Gaza Strip where nearly 1.5 million Palestinians are crowded together, according to the UN.
“No international pressure will prevent us from achieving all the objectives of our war” against the Palestinian movement Hamas, “we will act in Rafah, it will take a few weeks but it will happen,” he said at the start of the meeting of his government, according to a press release sent by his services.
The Israeli Prime Minister approved the IDF's "plans" for such an offensive on Friday.
“The Israeli army is ready for the operational side and for the evacuation of the population,” indicated the Prime Minister's office in a press release, which gave no further details on this operation.
Almost immediately, the White House asked Israel to be able to see the plans for this new offensive.
Concern from the international community
In order to definitively defeat Hamas, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had long announced an upcoming ground offensive on Rafah, a town on the closed border with Egypt, where, according to the UN, around a million and half of Palestinians.
Such a prospect worries the international community, starting with the United States, Israel's main ally, which has raised its voice in recent weeks.
Israel must make the protection of civilians and humanitarian aid in Gaza its “number one” priority, American Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared this Wednesday.
Also read: “Gaza is a funnel”: why the evacuation of Palestinian civilians seems like a mission impossible
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Saturday urged Israel to abandon an assault on Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, “in the name of humanity”.
“I am gravely concerned by reports of an Israeli plan to launch a ground attack on Rafah.
A further escalation of violence in this densely populated area would lead to even more death and suffering,” wrote Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on the social network X.
I'm seriously concerned about reports of an Israeli plan to proceed with a ground assault on Rafah.
Further escalation of violence in this densely populated area would lead to many more deaths and suffering, especially with health facilitators already overwhelmed.
#Gaza pic.twitter.com/hWichKUKj9
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) March 16, 2024
“In the name of humanity, we call on Israel not to move forward and to work instead for peace,” he adds, believing that the evacuation planned by the Israeli army before an assault is not a feasible solution.