Israel has been warned of the consequences if its army launches a ground invasion in the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, while Israel has proposed evacuating civilians and finding shelter in camps that have not yet been built.
The warning came next Israeli Air strikes led to the killing of at least 44 Palestinians, including more than ten children, in the city.
Lord David Cameron said he was “deeply concerned” about the planned ground invasion of the city, where more than half the city's population lives. Gaza 2.3 million people took refuge.
Israel says it is a cell of Hamas' remaining strongholds.
Follow the latest updates: Germany describes Rafah’s offensive plans as a “disaster in the making”
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Netanyahu orders the evacuation of Rafah
“We are deeply concerned about the possibility of a military attack on Rafah – more than half of Gaza’s population is taking shelter in the area,” the British Foreign Secretary wrote on X.
He added, “The priority must be an immediate halt to the fighting, to bring in aid and remove the hostages, and then move toward a permanent and sustainable ceasefire.”
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said that any Israeli ground attack on Rafah would have “severe consequences,” and stressed that Israel ultimately aims to force the Palestinians out of their lands. Egypt warned that any movement of Palestinians into its lands would threaten the four-decade-old peace treaty between it and Egypt.
Qatar also warned of a disaster, while Saudi Arabia warned of “very serious repercussions.”
Their statements came after statements by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu He indicated that there would be an imminent invasion From Rafah, saying that he asked the army to prepare to evacuate hundreds of thousands of people there.
Displaced Palestinians take shelter in a tent camp in Rafah. Photo: Reuters
An Israeli government spokesman suggested that civilians could find shelter in tent camps that have not yet been built, and said the international community was “very welcome” to send shelter equipment.
Elon Levy told Sky News: “We want civilians out of harm's way. We don't want to come with all guns blazing because we realize how disastrous it would be.”
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Site of the Israeli air strike in Rafah. Photography: AP
In response to a question about where more than a million civilians in Rafah should go, Levy said: “This is part of the plan that the Israeli army will have to present.” [to] Prime Minister because we take our obligations under international law to maintain the protection of civilians very seriously.
“There are open spaces in Gaza, and there are places where camps can be set up so that civilians can stay out of harm’s way and not allow Hamas to use them as human shields.”
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Analysis: What is happening in Rafah?
Netanyahu's announcement raises panic
Netanyahu did not say when the attack would begin, but his announcement sparked panic in the region.
Israel carries out almost daily air strikes on the city on the border with Egypt, even after the army asked civilians to seek shelter there to escape the current ground fighting in Khan Yunis to the north.
About 80% of the Palestinians in Gaza have been displaced, and the region is suffering from a humanitarian crisis with a lack of food and medical services.
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The Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza said more than 28,000 Palestinians were killed, most of them women and children, and more than 67,000 people were injured.
Israel declared war after several thousand Hamas fighters attacked southern Israel on October 7, killing 1,300 people and taking 250 hostage. Not all hostages survived.
Israel holds Hamas responsible for the killing of civilians because it is fighting from within civilian areas, but US President Joe Biden said earlier this week that Israel's response was “over the top.”
