French President Emmanuel Macron and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi expressed their “firm opposition” Saturday to an Israel offensive in the southern Gazan city of Rafah, a readout of the call between the leaders from the French presidency said.
Macron and Sisi shared during the call their “extreme concern about the deterioration of the already catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and the obstacles to the delivery of aid,” stressing the need to urgently increase the aid flow into Gaza.
“The two presidents expressed their firm opposition to an Israeli offensive in Rafah, which would lead to a humanitarian catastrophe on a new scale, as well as to any forced displacement of populations towards Egyptian territory, which would constitute a violation of international humanitarian law and would pose an additional risk of regional escalation,” the French presidency said.
In Israel’s sights: Two Israeli airstrikes on Rafah killed at least 13 Palestinians on Saturday, according to Dr. Marwan Al-Homss, the general director of Abu Yousuf Al-Najjar Government Hospital.
Israel has been bombarding Rafah with airstrikes for weeks and says it is committed to a ground offensive in the city, claiming there is room for displaced Palestinians to move north.
Palestinians there say they have nowhere to go. Some have tried to flee north to central Deir al-Balah, where doctors also reported deadly airstrikes Saturday.
