The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has issued a warning regarding Israel’s statements about a potential military move towards the city of Rafah, which has raised concerns and poses a threat to over one and a half million Palestinians who have been instructed to head there.
Türk expressed his concerns on the social media platform X, stating that the international organization is troubled by the statements made by Israel’s Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, regarding a military operation in Rafah, located in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
Gallant had stated in a press release that the Israeli military is fulfilling its mission in Khan Yunis, south of Gaza, and will advance towards Rafah.
Türk emphasized that these statements sound the alarm about the potential for a significant number of casualties and further displacement of more than 1.5 million Palestinians who have been directed by the Israeli army to go to Rafah.
Rafah currently hosts over half of Gaza’s population, who have been displaced by the ongoing conflict. It also serves as the main route for humanitarian aid to approximately 2.3 million people in desperate need.
Since January 22, the Israeli army has conducted a series of intensive air and artillery strikes on Khan Yunis and its surrounding hospitals, with ground advances in the southern and western areas of the city. These actions have forced thousands of Palestinians to flee.
Since October 7 of the previous year, the Israeli army has waged a devastating war on Gaza, resulting in 27,131 martyrs and 66,287 injuries, the majority of whom are children and women, according to Palestinian authorities. This has caused immense destruction and an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, as reported by the United Nations.
