UN chief Antonio Guterres has warned that the response to Israel’s raid on the Palestinian town of Rafah in the Gaza Strip will spread “throughout the region”.
The UN Secretary-General made such comments on social media about the results of the operation of the Israeli forces in Rafah.
Antonio Guterres warned that a “reaction” to Israel’s operation in Rafah and a “full-scale attack” there would lead to “disaster”.
The Secretary-General said, “There will be many more civilian casualties.” Countless families will be forced to flee again; There is no safe place to go though.’
Millions of Palestinians displaced by indiscriminate attacks in various parts of Gaza have settled here as a last resort. Now Israel has started operations in this densely populated area. Palestinians have started fleeing from here to save their lives.
“The ramifications of the raid will be felt far and wide—in the West Bank and across the region,” said Antonio Guterres.
The UN chief also warned that the situation in the Gaza Strip as a result of Israel’s operation in Rafah is moving in the “wrong direction”.
The attack came despite international pleas to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to launch an operation in Rafah.
Josep Borrell, EU foreign minister
As many as 1 million Palestinians have fled northern and central Gaza and taken refuge in Rafah due to Israeli attacks. They are staying in piles of tents there. Israel launched the operation in Rafah a day after ordering 100,000 Palestinians from the eastern part of the city to take shelter in tents in Khan Yunis. Palestinians have started fleeing from here to save their lives.
Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the attack began despite all requests from the international community to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to launch an operation in Rafah.
I am afraid that a large number of people are going to be injured in this attack again. There is no safe place in Gaza anymore,’ said Borrell.
AFP reported that the Israeli forces took control of the Palestinian part of the Rafah crossing on the border with Egypt on Tuesday. Earlier, the country closed the Kerem Shalom crossing. Blockade Gaza is now virtually cut off from the rest of the world.
The Palestinian resistance organization Hamas announced that it had accepted the ceasefire proposal made by the mediator countries after last Monday evening. But shortly after that, the Israeli forces started massive airstrikes in the eastern area of Rafah. And as part of the preparations for the ground operation, Israeli tanks took up position in the Palestinian part of the Rafah crossing yesterday.
