UN warns of Israeli attack on Rafah, calls for aid access to Gaza

An Israeli attack on Rafah in the Gaza Strip is “looming on the horizon” and Israel's “incremental” progress on aid access to the area cannot be used to prepare for or justify an operation, the United Nations warned Tuesday.

The U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on states with influence over Israel to “do everything in their power” to prevent an Israeli attack on Rafah in southern Gaza, which is home to more than 1.2 million displaced Gazan Palestinians.

“The world has been calling on the Israeli authorities for weeks to leave Rafah untouched, but a ground operation there is on the horizon,” U.N. aid chief Martin Griffiths said.

“The simple truth is that a ground operation in Rafah would be nothing short of an unspeakable tragedy,” he added.

On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to carry out his long-promised offensive, regardless of Hamas' response to his latest proposals for a cessation of hostilities and the return of Israeli hostages in the nearly seven-month-old war.

The situation remains dire despite Israel's pledge to improve aid access to Gaza.

Guterres called on Israel to fulfill its commitment to open two crossings in the north so that aid can be distributed.

The U.N. has sounded the alarm over the risk of famine in northern Gaza, where vulnerable populations are already suffering from hunger and disease.

A deal between Israel and Hamas is urgently needed to avoid further escalation of the conflict, which could have devastating consequences for Gaza and the wider region, Guterres stressed.

"A major obstacle to distributing aid across Gaza is the lack of security for humanitarians and the people we serve. Humanitarian convoys, facilities and personnel, and the people in need must not be targets," Guterres said, urging Israel to deliver on its promises.

Efforts to increase aid deliveries to Gaza continue, including discussions to establish a floating pier to facilitate aid shipments by sea from the island of Cyprus.

However, Guterres emphasized that land routes remain important for the massive flow of aid needed to resolve the crisis.

"We welcome aid delivery by air and sea, but there is no alternative to the massive use of land routes," stressed Guterres.

More than 34,500 Palestinians have been killed since the beginning of Israel's war on Gaza that began on Oct. 7. 

Source: Reuters