Biden says Israel must protect vulnerable in Rafah

WASHINGTON - US President Joe Biden has said civilians who are “packed” into Rafah in the Gaza Strip are “exposed and vulnerable” and must be protected.

Israel must make “credible” efforts to protect the more than one million Palestinians sheltering in the southern Gazan city, he said.

Rafah has come under heavy Israeli air strikes in recent days, with a number of casualties reported.

President Biden again appealed for the protection of Rafah civilians after his meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah in Washington on Monday.

He said any major military operation in the city “should not proceed without a credible plan for ensuring the safety” of those living there.

“Many people there have been displaced, displaced multiple times, fleeing the violence to the north and now they’re packed into Rafah, exposed and vulnerable.

“They need to be protected. And we’ve also been clear from the start, we oppose any forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza.”

Last week, the White House said it would not support major Israeli operations in Rafah without due consideration for the refugees there.

Meanwhile, Gaza’s Hamas rulers said there could be “tens of thousands” of casualties in Rafah, warning that any operation would also undermine talks about a possible release of Israeli hostages held in the territory.

The head of Israel’s intelligence agency, David Barnea, CIA chief William Burns and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani met Egyptian officials in Cairo on Tuesday for further talks about a Gaza truce proposal, according to AFP news agency, which cited Egyptian outlet Al-Qahera News. The officials’ planned meeting was also reported in Israeli media.

Benjamin Netanyahu last week rejected Hamas’s proposed terms for a ceasefire, saying “total victory” in Gaza would be possible within months.

Alongside the US, a number of countries and international organisations have warned Israel against launching its planned offensive. –