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Mass Exodus from Rafah

The Israeli air force also attacked several areas in the Rafah area from which rockets and mortar shells had been fired at Israel in recent days…reports Asian Lite News

Some 1,10,000 people have left Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip since the Israeli army started advancing on the city, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)said on Friday.

“UNRWA estimates around 1,10,000 people have now fled Rafah looking for safety,” the UN agency for Palestinian refugees said in a post on the X platform.

“But nowhere is safe in the Gaza Strip & living conditions are atrocious,” the post continued. “The only hope is an immediate Ceasefire.”

According to the Palestinian border authority, the Rafah border crossing to Egypt remains closed to humanitarian aid deliveries.

The Israeli army said that troops were still deployed in the east of the city of Rafah and Al-Saitun in the centre of the Gaza Strip.

In Rafah, the army had located several tunnel entrances. During battles on the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing to Egypt, “several terrorist cells were eliminated.”

The Israeli air force also attacked several areas in the Rafah area from which rockets and mortar shells had been fired at Israel in recent days.

The Kerem Shalom border crossing, which serves as an important crossing point for humanitarian aid into the blockaded coastal strip, was also targeted.

In al-Saitun, the army “eliminated several terrorists and destroyed terrorist infrastructure,” it was also reported. The air force had attacked around 40 targets in the Gaza Strip within 24 hours.

On Monday, the Israeli military called on residents of the eastern part of Rafah to leave the area.

More than 1 million internally displaced persons are said to be living in Rafah.

Israel’s Western partners, above all the United States, have urgently warned the Israeli government against a large-scale military operation in Rafah due to the expected dramatic humanitarian consequences.

Following the massacres in Israel on October 7, Israel wants to completely destroy the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement, whose leaders it suspects are hiding in tunnels under Rafah, where Israeli hostages are presumably also being held.

ALSO READ: 74% of Gaza buildings destroyed, reveals study

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Rafah offensive would break international law, says Mitchell

International pressure has been building on Israel over the potentially devastating consequences of a threatened ground invasion of Rafah, where the UN estimates about 1.4 million Palestinians are sheltering…reports Asian Lite News

An Israeli ground offensive in Rafah would contravene international humanitarian law and would not succeed in removing Hamas from power in Gaza or eradicating the organization, Britain’s deputy foreign minister warned on Tuesday.

Andrew Mitchell said Israeli authorities had failed to present a military plan that complies with international law, and that entering Rafah, which has become the final refuge for more than a million people displaced by fighting in other parts of Gaza, could strengthen, not weaken, Hamas.

However, he stopped short of saying what international consequences, if any, Israel might face if it proceeds.

Mitchell reiterated the UK government’s desire for a permanent, sustained ceasefire in Gaza. His comments, which followed a similar statement by authorities in France on Monday, were seen as an attempt to put pressure on Israel to sign up for a provisional, three-stage peace deal that was accepted by Hamas on Monday, The Guardian newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Israeli minister Benny Gantz has said the peace proposal did not “correspond to the dialogue that has taken place so far with the mediators and has significant gaps.”

Mitchell also echoed calls from the UN for Israel to end a renewed block on humanitarian aid entering Gaza. Also on Tuesday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for border crossings to be reopened “immediately” so that essential aid can be delivered to Gaza. He urged Israeli authorities to “stop any escalation” after they sent tanks into Rafah early on Tuesday and the army took control of the nearby crossing on the border with Egypt.

“Things are moving in the wrong direction. I am disturbed and distressed by the renewed military activity in Rafah by the Israel Defense Forces,” Guterres said.

International pressure has been building on Israel over the potentially devastating consequences of a threatened ground invasion of Rafah, where the UN estimates about 1.4 million Palestinians are sheltering.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said such action could cause many “civilian casualties.” White House spokesperson John Kirby said that Israel told Washington its operation in Rafah “was limited and designed to cut off Hamas’s ability to smuggle weapons” into Gaza.

Egypt has urged Israeli authorities to “exercise the utmost restraint.” The Organization for Islamic Cooperation condemned Israel’s “criminal aggression.”

ALSO READ-‘US paused bomb shipment to Israel over Rafah’

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Rafah invasion must not go ahead, says Starmer

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned on Sunday of “a powerful operation in the very near future in Rafah.”…reports Asian Lite News

An Israeli offensive in the Gazan city of Rafah “must not go ahead,” the leader of the UK’s main opposition Labour Party said on Monday.

Keir Starmer’s comments came after the Israeli military told Palestinian civilians in the area to leave ahead of a planned offensive.

“With more than a million Palestinian civilians sheltering in Rafah, an Israeli offensive must not go ahead,” Starmer wrote on X.

“There must be an immediate ceasefire, the immediate release of all hostages, and unimpeded aid into Gaza that can be delivered regularly, quickly and safely.”

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned on Sunday of “a powerful operation in the very near future in Rafah.”

Starmer was echoed by his Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who posted on X that an invasion of Rafah “would be catastrophic.”

Shadow International Development Secretary Lisa Nandy warned that people trapped in Rafah “have nowhere else to go.” So far, at least 34,700 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war last October.

ALSO READ-Israeli Airstrikes Hit Eastern Rafah, Gaza

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US yet to see Israel’s plan for entering Rafah

United States has reiterated its stance regarding the situation in Rafah, emphasising the need for a credible plan from Israel…reports Asian Lite News

The United States has not seen Israel’s “credible plan” to enter Rafah that is set to address the “varying areas of concerns”, said a US State Department official on Tuesday.

As tensions persist in the ongoing conflict, the United States has reiterated its stance regarding the situation in Rafah, emphasising the need for a credible plan from Israel before any potential military operation.

Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the Department of State, Vedant Patel reaffirmed this position, stating, “That is correct, it continues to be the case that we have not seen a credible plan that would address the varying areas of concerns.”

Rafah, a region with over 1 million displaced individuals, remains a critical area for humanitarian aid distribution and a safe passage for foreign nationals. Patel underscored the significance of addressing the serious humanitarian concerns surrounding Rafah, highlighting the necessity for any operation to prioritise the well-being of the population in the region.

“Primarily the ability to address the serious humanitarian concerns surrounding again, Rafah is a region with more than 1 million people seeking refuge. It’s an area that continues to be an important conduit for humanitarian aid, as well as safe departure for foreign nationals,” he said.

While refraining from speculation on potential scenarios, Patel noted the ongoing engagement with Israeli counterparts to seek clarity on their plans concerning Rafah.

“So any kind of operation that does not address some of these key concerns would certainly be opposed by us,” he also said.

He stressed that any operation lacking measures to address humanitarian needs and ensure the safe departure of civilians would face opposition from the United States.

“I’m not going to get into any hypotheticals, but this is something we’re continuing to engage with our partners in Israel. Conversations continue to be happening at all levels, and we’ll continue to press forward on those conversations and ask what their plans may or may not be as it pertains to Rafah,” Patel added.

Patel’s remarks come the same day Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his military plans to enter Rafah city of Gaza and said that his military will undertake the operations regardless of a breakthrough in truce talks with Hamas.

“The idea that we will stop the war before achieving all its aims is not an option,” Netanyahu told the hawkish Gvura and Tikva forums, who represent families of slain soldiers and families of hostages held in Gaza, respectively, The Times of Israel reported.

“We will enter Rafah and we will eliminate the Hamas battalions there — whether or not there is a deal — in order to achieve total victory,” Netanyahu added.

According to a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office, the groups urged Netanyahu and National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi to continue the war and to resist international pressures, The Times of Israel reported.

Netanyahu has faced pressure from his nationalist governing partners not to proceed with a deal that might prevent Israel from invading Rafah, which it says is Hamas’ last major stronghold. His government could be threatened if he agrees to a deal because hard-line Cabinet members have demanded an attack on Rafah.

But with more than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million people sheltering there, the international community, including Israel’ top ally the US, has warned Israel against any offensive that puts civilians at risk.

It was not clear if Netanyahu’s comments were meant to appease his governing partners or whether they would have any bearing on any emerging deal with Hamas.

ALSO READ: Blinken Visits Israel for Gaza Ceasefire Talks

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Rafah evacuations not possible, says Red Cross

An Israeli government source said Netanyahu’s war cabinet planned to meet in the coming two weeks to authorize civilian evacuations, expected to take around a month…reports Asian Lite News

Israel’s military is poised to evacuate Palestinian civilians from Rafah and assault Hamas hold-outs in the southern Gaza Strip city, a senior Israeli defense official said on Wednesday, despite international warnings of humanitarian catastrophe.

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government said Israel was “moving ahead” with a ground operation, but gave no timeline.

The defense official said Israel’s Defense Ministry had bought 40,000 tents, each with the capacity for 10 to 12 people, to house Palestinians relocated from Rafah in advance of an assault.

Video circulating online appeared to show rows of square white tents going up in Khan Younis, a city some 5 km (3 miles) from Rafah. Reuters could not verify the video but reviewed images from satellite company Maxar Technologies which showed tent camps on Khan Younis land that had been vacant weeks ago.

An Israeli government source said Netanyahu’s war cabinet planned to meet in the coming two weeks to authorize civilian evacuations, expected to take around a month.

The defense official, who requested anonymity, told Reuters that the military could go into action immediately but was awaiting a green light from Netanyahu.

Rafah, which abuts the Egyptian border, is sheltering more than a million Palestinians who fled the half-year-old Israeli offensive through the rest of Gaza, and say the prospect of fleeing yet again is terrifying.

“I have to make a decision whether to leave Rafah because my mother and I are afraid an invasion could happen suddenly and we won’t get time to escape,” said Aya, 30, who has been living temporarily in the city with her family in a school.

She said that some families recently moved to a refugee camp in coastal Al-Mawasi, but their tents caught fire when tank shells landed nearby. “Where do we go?“

Israel, which launched its war to annihilate Hamas after the Islamist group’s Oct. 7 attacks on Israeli towns, says Rafah is home to four Hamas combat battalions reinforced by thousands of retreating fighters, and it must defeat them to achieve victory.

“Hamas was hit hard in the northern sector. It was also hit hard in the center of the Strip. And soon it will be hit hard in Rafah, too,” Brig.-General Itzik Cohen, commander of Israel’s 162nd Division operating in Gaza, told Kan public TV.

But Israel’s closest ally Washington has called on it to set aside plans for an assault, and says Israel can combat Hamas fighters there by other means.

“We could not support a Rafah ground operation without an appropriate, credible, executable humanitarian plan precisely because of the complications for delivery of assistance,” David Satterfield, US special envoy for Middle East humanitarian issued, told reporters on Tuesday.

“We continue discussions with Israel on what we believe are alternate ways of addressing a challenge which we recognize, which is Hamas military present in Rafah.”

Egypt says it will not allow Gazans to be pushed across the border onto its territory. Cairo had warned Israel against moving on Rafah, which “would lead to massive human massacres, losses (and) widespread destruction,” its State Information Service said.

Israel has withdrawn most of its ground troops from southern Gaza this month but kept up air strikes and conducted raids into areas its troops abandoned. Efforts by the United States, Egypt and Qatar to broker an extended ceasefire in time to head off an assault on Rafah have so far failed.

Gaza medical officials say than 34,000 people have been killed in Israel’s military campaign, with thousands more bodies feared buried under rubble.

Hamas killed 1,200 people and abducted 253 on Oct 7, according to Israeli tallies. Of those hostages, 129 remain in Gaza, Israeli officials say. More than 260 Israeli troops have been killed in ground fighting since Oct 20, the military says.

H. A. Hellyer, a senior associate fellow in international security studies at the Royal United Services Institute, said he expected the assault on Rafah “sooner rather than later” because Netanyahu is under pressure to meet his stated objectives of rescuing hostages and killing all the Hamas leaders.

“The invasion of Rafah is unavoidable because of the way he has framed all of this,” he said. But it will not be possible for everyone to leave the city, so “if he sends the military into Rafah, there are going to be a lot of casualties.”

ALSO READ-Israel Hits Rafah Building, Seven Dead

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Israeli Troops Target Rafah

Defence Minister of Israel Yoav Gallant said the withdrawal from Khan Yunis was because “Hamas ceased to exist as a military framework” in the city….reports Asian Lite News

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) is bracing up for the Rafah operation after it wrapped up the Khan Yunis operations in southern Gaza and the 98th division of the IDF withdrew from the area.

Israel Defence Ministry sources said that the withdrawal was done for ground invasion into the Rafah region.

Defence Minister of Israel Yoav Gallant said the withdrawal was because “Hamas ceased to exist as a military framework” in Khan Younis, just north of Rafah, where more than 1.5 million Palestinians are sheltering. He also said the pullout was “to prepare for future missions, including … in Rafah.”

After troops left areas in and around the largely destroyed city of Khan Yunis, a stream of displaced Palestinians walked there, hoping to return to their homes from temporary shelters in Rafah, a little further south, Arab News reported.

Gallant, widely considered a hawk, met the senior officers of the 98th division of the IDF on Sunday and discussed the Rafah operations.

The allies of Israel, including the US and other Western powers had earlier told Israel not to enter into a ground invasion in the Rafah region as that would lead to major casualties among civilians.

Rafah region of Gaza is densely populated and has an estimated 1.3 million people. The Egyptian president, Abdel Fattah Al-Sissi had expressed his concern over a possible Rafah operation with the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken during the latter‘s visit to Egypt in March.

Meanwhile, Sisi had a meeting with Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, William Burns along with Director of the General Intelligence Service, Major General Abbas Kamel.

Spokesman for the Presidency, Counselor Dr. Ahmed Fahmy, said the meeting focused on the joint Egyptian-Qatari-American efforts to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. It also reviewed the latest developments on the ground, underlining the crucial need for intensified efforts to restore calm and halt the military escalation.

Sisi underscored the dire humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, which has led to widespread famine in the sector. He stressed the desperate and imperative need for concerted international efforts, without any delay, to exert pressure for the immediate and unfettered flow of much-needed humanitarian aid and relief to all areas of the sector in adequate quantities.

During the meeting, there was an alignment in views with regard to the vital importance of protecting civilians and the gravity of the military escalation in the Palestinian city of Rafah, while categorically rejecting the displacement of the Palestinians from the lands.

The Egyptian President emphasised the need to work, in earnest, toward reaching a just settlement to the Palestinian cause, based on the two-state solution. Sisi warned against expanding the cycle of the conflict in a way that jeopardizes regional security and stability.

Australia to examine Israeli airstrike probe

 A former head of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) has been appointed as the country’s special advisor on Israel’s response to strikes that killed aid workers in Gaza.

Penny Wong, Australian minister for foreign affairs, on Monday announced that retired Air Chief Marshal (ACM) Mark Binskin will oversee official investigations into the strikes that killed seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) staff in Gaza, Xinhua news agency reported.

Australian citizen Zomi Frankcom was among the WCK humanitarian workers who were killed when the convoy they were travelling in was hit by an Israel Defense Force (IDF) airstrike in central Gaza on April 1 local time.

Wong said on Monday that Binskin was eminently qualified to advise the government on the sufficiency and appropriateness of the steps taken by Israel and on any further actions that could be taken to hold those responsible to account.

ACM Binskin will engage with Israel and the Israel Defense Forces on the response to the attack which killed Zomi and her colleagues. Australia has made clear to the Israeli government our expectation and trust that this engagement will be facilitated,” she said in a statement.

Last week, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had called for a paradigm shift in Israel’s military strategy in Gaza and in aid delivery to save lives.

Following last week’s appalling killing of seven humanitarian workers from World Central Kitchen, the Israeli government had acknowledged mistakes and announced some disciplinary measures, Guterres said on Friday. “But the essential problem is not who made the mistakes, it is the military strategy and procedures in place that allow for those mistakes to multiply time and time again.”

Fixing those failures requires independent investigations and meaningful and measurable change on the ground, he said at a press encounter as the Gaza conflict is about to become six months old.

In its speed, scale and inhumane ferocity, the war in Gaza is the deadliest of conflicts — for civilians, for aid workers, for journalists, for health workers, and for UN staff. Some 196 humanitarian aid workers, including more than 175 UN staff members, have been killed, Guterres was quoted by Xinhua news agency as saying.

An information war has added to the trauma, obscuring facts and shifting blame. Denying international journalists entry into Gaza is allowing disinformation and false narratives to flourish, he said.

Guterres demanded an investigation into those killings, noting that investigation can only work with the cooperation of the Israeli authorities.

“One hundred and ninety-six humanitarian workers have been killed, and we want to know why each one of them was killed,” he said.

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UN secretary-general ‘deeply troubled’ by situation in Rafah

Guterres also called for funding and support of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East…reports Asian Lite News

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited Egypt’s border with the Gazan city of Rafah on Saturday to reiterate pleas for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

His visit comes after the UN Security Council’s failure to pass a resolution to halt the Israeli offensive on Gaza, which is now entering its sixth month with a death toll nearing 32,000.

Speaking at the border, he urged the world to remind Gazans they are not alone.

“I am deeply troubled to know during this holy month of Ramadan that there are those who will not be able to have a proper iftar,” Guterres said.

He added that it is “a moral outrage” that there are thousands of aid trucks parked on the Egyptian side of the border awaiting access, while people in Gaza are facing starvation.

“While nothing justifies the actions of October 7, nothing justifies the collective punishment of the Palestinian people,” Guterres said. “There are hardships, houses demolished, entire families and generations wiped out, while hunger stalks the population.”

He urged people to “stand on the right side of history,” adding, “It is time to silence the guns. We need a ceasefire. I will not give up. We should not give up, for the sake of humanity.”

Guterres also called for funding and support of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.

Prior to his press conference at the crossing, the secretary-general was received by Sinai governor Mohamad Shusha at El-Arish airport.

Shusha said that some 7,000 trucks are currently waiting in North Sinai to deliver aid to Gaza, but that inspection procedures demanded by Israel have held up the flow of aid.

Guterres also visited Palestinian evacuees from Gaza receiving treatment at Arish General Hospital in Sinai and said he was “moved” by their spirit.

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Israeli PM vows to invade Rafah

US President Joe Biden, whose country provides Israel with billions of dollars in military assistance, has said a Rafah invasion would be a “red line” without credible measures to protect civilians…reports Asian Lite News

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Sunday to send ground forces into Gaza’s southern Rafah city despite growing international concern over the fate of Palestinian civilians sheltering there.

Netanyahu, whose security and war cabinets were later due to discuss latest international efforts toward a truce deal, stressed that “no amount of international pressure will stop us from realizing all the goals of the war.”

“To do this, we will also operate in Rafah,” he told a cabinet meeting, hours before he was set to meet visiting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for talks on the war raging since October 7.

Israel has repeatedly threatened to launch a ground offensive against Hamas militants in Rafah, now home to nearly 1.5 million mostly displaced Gazans sheltering near the Egyptian border.

US President Joe Biden, whose country provides Israel with billions of dollars in military assistance, has said a Rafah invasion would be a “red line” without credible measures to protect civilians.

UN World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged Israel “in the name of humanity” not to launch a Rafah assault, warning that “this humanitarian catastrophe must not be allowed to worsen.”

Envoys were planning to meet in Qatar soon to revive stalled talks for a ceasefire and hostage release deal.

A Hamas proposal calls for an Israeli withdrawal from “all cities and populated areas” in Gaza during a six-week truce and for more humanitarian aid, according to an official from the Palestinian group.

Israel plans to attend the talks, with cabinet members due to “decide on the mandate of the delegation in charge of the negotiations before its departure for Doha,” Netanyahu’s office said, without giving a date for when they would leave.

The war meanwhile raged on, and overnight Israeli bombardment across the Hamas-ruled territory killed at least 61 Palestinians, the Gaza health ministry said.

The dead included 12 members of the same family whose house was hit in Deir Al-Balah, in central Gaza.

The war was triggered by Hamas’s October 7 attack on southern Israel that resulted in about 1,160 deaths, mostly civilians.

Israel’s retaliatory campaign against Hamas has killed at least 31,645 people in Gaza, most of them women and children, according to the health ministry.

Shelling and clashes were reported in south Gaza’s main city of Khan Yunis and elsewhere, and the Israeli army said its forces had killed “approximately 18 terrorists” in central Gaza since Saturday.

More than five months of war and an Israeli siege have led to dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza, where the UN has repeatedly warned of looming famine for the coastal territory’s 2.4 million people.

As the flow of aid trucks into Gaza has slowed, a second ship was due to depart from Cyprus along a new maritime corridor to bring food and relief goods, said officials of the island-nation.

On Saturday the US charity World Central Kitchen said its team had finished unloading supplies from a barge towed by Spanish aid vessel Open Arms which had pioneered the sea route.

Jordan on Sunday announced the latest aid airdrop over northern Gaza together with German, US and Egyptian aircraft.

The United Nations has reported particular difficulty in accessing the north, where residents say they have resorted to eating animal fodder, and where some have stormed the few aid trucks that have made it through.

Palestinian militants seized about 250 Israeli and foreign hostages during the October 7 attack. Dozens were released during a week-long truce in November, and Israel believes about 130 remain in Gaza including 32 presumed dead.

Netanyahu has faced domestic pressure over the remaining captives, with protesters rallying in Tel Aviv on Saturday carrying banners urging a “hostage deal now.”

“The civilians… need to demand from their leaders to do the right thing,” said one demonstrator, Omer Keidar, 27.

In Rafah, the crisis has only grown worse, said medical staff at a clinic run by Palestinian volunteers that offers treatment for displaced Gazans.

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Israel Ready to Act in Rafah During Ramadan Without Hostage Resolution

The Minister, who was the former Chief of Armed staff, however, said that there were signs of a hostage deal coming through…reports Asian Lite News

The Israel Minister without portfolio and member of War Cabinet in the government, Benny Gantz has said that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) was prepared for a military operation in Rafah during the month of Ramadan if a hostage deal is not successful.

In a statement on Wednesday, Gantz said, “If there is no hostage deal, we will operate during Ramadan.”

The Minister, who was the former Chief of Armed staff, however, said that there were signs of a hostage deal coming through.

Gantz said, “There are attempts these days to promote a new framework (for a deal) and there are initial signs that indicate the possibility of moving forward.”

He also added that the Israel government would not miss any opportunity to bring the hostages home and added that the IDF was indeed preparing for a military operation in Rafah, which will commence only after the Palestinian civilians are evacuated from the region.

Gantz also said that such an evacuation was necessary for the IDF to move against the Hamas forces in that area.

The US President’s top advisor to the Middle East, Brett McGurk, was in the region to hold talks in Egypt and Israel as part of a push to close a deal that could see a pause in the fighting by the start of the month-long Ramadan holiday.

A top delegation of Hamas led by its political head, Ismail Haniyeh, is in Cairo for mediatory talks for a ceasefire during the Holy month of Ramadan, which is likely to commence on March 10.

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UAE warns against Israel launching opes in Rafah

The Ministry reaffirmed the UAE’s position, calling for a return to negotiations to achieve the two-state solution with an independent Palestinian state…reports Asian Lite News

The UAE has expressed deep concern regarding preparations by the Israeli military to launch an operation in the Rafah area, in the south of the Gaza Strip populated by displaced Palestinians, and the serious humanitarian repercussions that may result from the operation.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned against military action that threatens to cause the loss of more innocent life and exacerbate the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip.

The Ministry reaffirmed its strong condemnation of any forced displacement of the brotherly Palestinian people, and all practices that violate the resolutions of international legitimacy and international and humanitarian law.

The Ministry called on the international community to undertake immediate efforts to reach a ceasefire to avoid further loss of life, and prevent fueling the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Furthermore, the Ministry called for efforts to achieve a comprehensive and just peace, while preventing regional spill-over that risks further violence, tension, and instability.

The Ministry reaffirmed the UAE’s position, calling for a return to negotiations to achieve the two-state solution with an independent Palestinian state.

Iraq calls for int’l intervention

Meanwhile, The Iraqi Foreign Ministry hazs urged the international community to thwart an Israeli plan to launch a military operation in the southernmost Gazan city of Rafah.

The Ministry said on Saturday in a statement that it was following with great concern the reports about an Israeli plan to carry out a ground operation that would lead to “a new humanitarian catastrophe and massacre” in Rafah.

It calls for “an international intervention to prevent mass forced displacement plans pursued by the occupation forces”.

The Ministry also reiterated the need to stop military operations against the Palestinians and to provide humanitarian aid to them.

On Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the army to prepare a plan for a ground operation in Rafah to eliminate what remains of Hamas brigades.

Since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict in the Gaza Strip on October 7 last year, over half of the 2.3 million residents in Gaza have fled to Rafah to search for a safe place.

Egypt opens Rafah crossing

The Egyptian presidency, in response to US President Joe Biden’s statement, has said that Egypt has opened the Rafah crossing to enable the flow of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip since “the first moment” of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

“Egypt has mobilised massive humanitarian aid and relief from itself and other countries,” the presidency said on Friday, adding that the persistent bombing of the Palestinian side of the crossing by Israel four times obstructed the aid delivery process, Xinhua news agency reported.

On Thursday, speaking to reporters, Biden said, “Initially, the president of Mexico, Sisi, did not want to open the gate to (allow) humanitarian material to get in,” mistakenly calling Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi the leader of Mexico.

“Egypt endured immense pressure and challenges to smooth the inflow and increase the amount of aid to Gaza,” the statement stressed, adding that 80 per cent of the aid provided to Gaza came from the Egyptian government, people and civil societies.

The statement reiterated the Egyptian efforts to reach a ceasefire and protect the civilians.

Israel has been waging a massive military campaign against Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023, after the movement’s surprise attack on southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people.

The Israeli blockade and bombardment of Gaza have so far killed nearly 28,000 Palestinians, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Friday.

The aid trucks first entered Gaza through the Rafah crossing on October 21, 2023, while wounded people and foreign passport holders have been entering the Egyptian side since the beginning of last November.

Palestinian death toll in Gaza nears 28,000

The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip has risen to 27,947, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said.

In a press statement, the Ministry said on Friday that 67,459 Palestinians have been wounded in the coastal enclave since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October last year.

Israeli forces killed 107 Palestinians and wounded 142 others in the past 24 hours, the Ministry added, noting that some victims remain under the rubble amid heavy bombardment and a lack of civil defence and ambulance crews.

Palestinian security sources and eyewitnesses said Israeli aircraft launched a series of raids targetting several homes in the neighbourhoods of Gaza City, including al-Rimal, al-Sabra, al-Zaytoun, Tal al-Hawa, and Sheikh Ajlin.

The sources told Xinhua that ambulances were unable to reach the targetted locations due to Israel’s aerial and artillery bombardment and drone attacks on everything moving in those areas.

Meanwhile, at least eight Palestinians were killed in a bombing that targetted two homes in Rafah, the southernmost Gazan city, said medical sources.

According to paramedics, in Khan Younis, the largest city in southern Gaza, a number of young men were killed as a result of Israel’s continued artillery shelling, while another young man and an elderly man were killed by Israeli forces’ bullets in the vicinity of Nasser Hospital in the city.

Also, several Palestinians were killed and some others injured as a result of Israeli aircraft bombing a house in the city of Deir el-Balah in central Gaza.

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