Planned Israeli offensive in Rafah ‘alarming’ — EU’s Borrell

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell poses for a photo after a meeting of EU foreign ministers at the Egmont Palace in Brussels, February 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell poses for a photo after a meeting of EU foreign ministers at the Egmont Palace in Brussels, February 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Israel’s plans for a military offensive on Rafah in the Gaza Strip are “alarming,” the EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borell says

Borell says on X, formerly Twitter, that “1.4 million Palestinians are currently in Rafah without safe place to go, facing starvation.”

Rafah is the southernmost city in the Palestinian enclave that has been hit by a fierce Israeli offensive since the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel. Many of the population of 2.2 million have taken refuge there.

“Reports of an Israeli military offensive on Rafah are alarming,” he adds.

“It would have catastrophic consequences worsening the already dire humanitarian situation and the unbearable civilian toll.”

Earlier, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told officials to “submit to the cabinet a combined plan for evacuating the population and destroying the battalions” of Hamas holed up in Rafah, his office said.

Netanyahu said this week he had ordered troops to prepare to move into Rafah, and that “total victory” against Hamas would come in months.

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