Israel-Gaza war: ‘Violent’ strikes reported in Rafah

The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) charity says the Gazan city of Rafah has come under ‘violent’ attack, with a number of deaths reported.

Witnesses spoke of dozens of air strikes on the city’s north and centre.

The Israeli military said it had conducted a strikes in southern Gaza, without giving further details.

It follows warnings from the international community over Israel’s planned offensive in the city, where 1.5 million people are sheltering.

The United Nations has said there is nowhere safe to go for the Palestinians who have ended up in the far south of the Palestinian territory.

On Sunday, US President Joe Biden told Israel’s Prime Minister a military operation in Rafah should not happen without measures to ensure the safety of civilians.

In a call with Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden said Israel needed a “credible and executable plan” to protect the more than a million people in the city, according to the White House.

Netanyahu has insisted it will go ahead and a plan is being prepared.

The call between the two leaders comes days after Biden suggested Israel’s military operations in Gaza were “over the top”.

It also follows a raft of Israel’s allies, international organisations and regional powers expressing growing concern at suggestions Israeli troops would enter Rafah – which lies on the border with Egypt and is the only open point of entry for humanitarian aid.

UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron said “over half of Gaza’s population are sheltering in the area”, while Saudi Arabia warned of “very serious repercussions” if Rafah was stormed.

Many of the people are living in tents in refugee camps, having already been forced to flee their homes elsewhere in Gaza at least once on the orders of the Israeli military.

(BBC)

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