Date for Rafah offensive unknown
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said Israel has not informed the US of a specific date for the start of a major offensive into the southern Gaza city of Rafah, but added American and Israeli officials remained in contact to try to ensure that “any kind of major military operation doesn’t do real harm to civilians”.
Blinken spoke a day after Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu vowed a date has been set to invade Rafah. The United States, Israel’s closest ally, says a ground operation into Rafah would be a mistake and has demanded to see a credible plan to protect civilians.
Rafah is filled with about 1.4 million Palestinians, most of whom are displaced from other parts of the Gaza Strip. Israel’s war against the militant group Hamas has pushed Gaza into a humanitarian crisis, leaving more than 1m people on the brink of starvation.
International efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas are taking place in Cairo this week.
Israel’s bombardment and ground offensives in Gaza over the past six months have killed at least 33,360 Palestinians, and wounded 74,993, Gaza’s Health Ministry said. It doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants in its tally.
Yesterday several family members of hostages held by Hamas met US Vice-President Kamala Harris at the White House and urged for a deal that would release their loved ones and implement a temporary ceasefire in Gaza.
“The only hope for peace is through the release of all the hostages now,” said Jonathan Dekel-Chen, the father of American hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen. On a potential agreement, Dekel-Chen stressed the world is waiting for “Hamas to get to yes”.
Rachel Goldberg, the mother of American hostage Hersh GoldbergPolin, called the meeting with Harris “productive”. She expressed gratitude to the White House and lawmakers for their support, but added: “We need results. We need our people home.
“You can believe as we do that it is horrible that innocent civilians in Gaza are suffering,” Goldberg said.
“And at the same time, you can also know that it is horrible and against international law for hostages to be held against their will.”
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said yesterday pressure on Israel to improve humanitarian aid to Gaza appears to be working, but more must be done and it remains to be seen if the improvement will continue.