EU’s Borrell: Rafah offensive will cause civilian casualties, no matter what Israel says

By Reuters 7 May 2024, 10:36 am

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EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell attends a meeting with European and Arab foreign ministers held in Riyadh on April 29, 2024. (Fayez Nureldine / AFP)

Israel’s offensive on Rafah will likely kill more civilians and is being carried out despite explicit warnings against it from European Union member states and the United States, the EU’s top diplomat says.

“The Rafah offensive has started again, in spite all the requests of the international community, the US, the European Union member states, everybody asking [Israeli Prime Minister] Netanyahu not to attack,” Josep Borrell tells journalists.

“I am afraid that this is going to cause again a lot of casualties, civilian casualties. Whatever they say,” he says, adding: “There are no safe zones in Gaza.”