White House spokesperson John Kirby told reporters that Secretary of State Antony Blinken made US concerns about the planned operation clear to Israeli officials he met with yesterday.
“Any major military operation in Rafah at this time, under these circumstances, with more than a million – probably more like a million and a half – Palestinians who are seeking refuge and have been seeking refuge in Rafah without due consideration for their safety would be a disaster, and we would not support it,” Kirby said.
His comments echoed those of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres earlier today. Speaking about the impending Rafah operation, Guterres said “Half of Gaza’s population is now crammed into Rafah. They have nowhere to go.”
The Israeli army continued to bomb Rafah today, while residents told Al Jazeera that they are hopeful talks between Israel and Hamas over a possible truce deal will bear fruit, and that they are extremely fearful of the coming Israeli attack.
The US State Department also warned that any Israeli military attack on Rafah with little or no planning would be a “disaster”.
“We would not support the undertaking of something like this without serious and credible planning as it relates to the more than a million people who are sheltering there, as well as without considering the impacts on humanitarian assistance and the safe departure of foreign nationals,” said the State Department’s deputy spokesperson, Vedant Patel.
Netanyahu has said that Israel now plans to attack Rafah, after devastating areas such as Khan Younis and Gaza City.
