- By Tom Bateman, State Department Correspondent, Kathryn Armstrong, Patrick Jackson
- BBC news
image source, Getty Images
Children evacuate to school in Rafah on Thursday
The US has warned Israel that a military attack on the southern Gaza city of Rafah without proper planning would be a “disaster”.
Approximately 1.5 million Palestinians survive in dire humanitarian conditions in the city, which borders Egypt.
The White House has said it will not support large-scale operations without adequate consideration for local refugees.
The comments came days after Israeli leaders said the military had been instructed to prepare for operations in Rafah.
US President Joe Biden said in a speech Thursday night that Israel's actions in Gaza had gone “too far,” without mentioning Rafah.
Hamas-run Health Ministry officials said Friday's Israeli airstrike on Gaza killed at least 15 people, including eight in Rafah. Israel had no immediate comment.
Freelance journalist Salem El Reyes, who lives in the Rafah refugee camp, said children were among those killed in airstrikes on nearby homes. The victims' bodies “flew in from the third floor,” he told Reuters.
Most of Rafah's residents have been displaced by fighting from other parts of Gaza and are living in tents.
Garda al-Khurd, a mother of two who was evacuated six times during the war, said she was expecting an Israeli attack, but hopes a cease-fire can be reached before that happens. he said.
“If they come to Rafah, it's over for us. It's like waiting for death. We have nowhere else to go,” she said of Rafah's relatives, who lived with 20 other people. spoke to the BBC from his home.
According to Reuters, Emad, a 55-year-old father of six who has taken refuge in Rafah after fleeing his home, said his biggest fear was ground attacks with nowhere to run. It is said that
“We are turning our backs on it.” [border] “There's a fence and it's facing the Mediterranean Sea. Where should I go?” he said.
Since the war began on October 7, much of northern and central Gaza has been left in ruins by sustained Israeli shelling.
Earlier, US National Security Council Spokesman John Kirby said the Israeli military has “special requirements to ensure that the protection of innocent civilian lives is taken into consideration when conducting operations there or elsewhere.” There is an obligation,” he said.
“The current military operation is a disaster for these people and is not something we can support,” he said, adding that the United States had no indication that Israel was imminent with a major operation in Rafah. He added that he had not seen it either.
State Department Deputy Spokesman Vedant Patel echoed Kirby's comments, saying: [the US] We cannot support such an initiative without a serious and credible plan. ”
Asked by the BBC where the refugees in Rafah should go in the event of an operation, Patel said these were “legitimate questions that we think Israelis should answer”. Ta.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, said: “Israel's military operations must prioritize civilians above all else, and that is especially true in the case of Rafah.”
It is unusual for the United States, a key ally and military supporter of Israel, to speak about the next steps in the country's military offensive in Gaza, but this was a clear warning.
The US government sends approximately $3.8 billion (£3 billion) in military aid to Israel each year, making Israel the world's largest recipient of such funds.
About 1,300 people were killed in a Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, Israeli officials said.
The war launched by Israel in response has left more than 27,800 Palestinians dead and at least 67,000 injured, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres gave a harsh assessment of the situation on Thursday: “They are living in overcrowded makeshift shelters in unsanitary conditions, without running water, electricity or adequate food supplies.”
“We unequivocally condemn Hamas's horrific acts. We also unequivocally condemn its violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza.”
On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to “operate in readiness” in Rafah and said Israel's “complete victory” over Hamas was months away.
