Josep Borrell, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, cautioned Israel against a ground invasion of the Palestinian city of Rafah, stating that the EU and the international community could prevent such a scenario.
Borrell, speaking on the “Ex” platform, remarked that Israel’s orders to evacuate civilians in Rafah signal a grim escalation towards more war and famine, which he deemed unacceptable, according to Reuters.
Israeli forces carried out airstrikes in Rafah today, following Israel’s demand for civilians to evacuate areas of the city, where over a million people have sought refuge from the war.
Earlier today, the Israeli army called on residents of areas in eastern Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, to “immediately evacuate” and head towards the central part of the territory, amidst threats of a ground attack on the densely populated city.
In a statement, the Israeli army urged “all residents and displaced persons in the area of Al-Shawka municipality and the neighborhoods of Al-Salam, Al-Janina, and Al-Bayuk in the Rafah area to evacuate immediately to the expanded humanitarian area in the crossings.”
An Israeli radio station reported this morning that the Israeli army had begun evacuating civilians from Rafah.
According to the radio station, evacuation operations are currently focused on a few areas surrounding Rafah, from where evacuated individuals will be directed to the cities of Khan Younis and nearby neighborhoods.
The escalating tensions in Rafah underscore the urgency for international intervention to prevent further violence and suffering in the Palestinian territories.
