IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES
A top UN official, Martin Griffiths, has issued a grave warning about the looming potential of a humanitarian catastrophe in Rafah, the southernmost city in Gaza, as Israel contemplates an assault.
The overcrowded city, home to over a million people, is facing the imminent threat of slaughter amid intense Israeli air strikes.
Griffiths delivered an unusually strong statement, describing the assault on Palestinians in Gaza as “unparalleled in its intensity, brutality, and scope.”
He highlighted the dire conditions in Rafah, where civilians have little access to food or medicine and nowhere safe to go.
The consequences of an invasion, according to Griffiths, would be catastrophic and could “leave an already fragile humanitarian operation at death’s door.”
Rafah, located on the border with Egypt, has witnessed heavy Israeli air strikes in recent days, with at least 67 people reported killed on Monday alone, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
The population of Rafah has swelled from around 250,000 to an estimated 1.5 million as civilians sought refuge in the city following Israel’s evacuation orders.
Griffiths expressed concerns about the breakdown in law and order, noting that humanitarian workers in Gaza had been “shot at, held at gunpoint, attacked, and killed.”
The statement comes as negotiations for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas resumed in Cairo.
IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES
International pressure is mounting on Israel to avoid an invasion of Rafah.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed hope that the ongoing talks would be successful in preventing an Israeli attack on the city.
US President Joe Biden has warned Israel to protect civilians, and UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron urged Israel to “stop and think seriously” before launching an offensive.
The UN has not received any evacuation plans for Rafah from Israel, and it has declared that it will not participate in any forced displacement of people.
The urgency of the situation underscores the need for a swift resolution to prevent a devastating outcome for the vulnerable population of Rafah.
