Blinken: Israeli Offensive in Rafah Would Escalate Tensions
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken cautions against Israel's planned offensive in Rafah, Gaza, emphasizing the need for alternative approaches to address the Hamas threat amid ongoing negotiations for a ceasefire.
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xUS Secretary of State Antony Blinken remarked on Thursday that a significant Israeli offensive in Rafah city, situated in the southern Gaza Strip, is "unwarranted" and would be a "mistake." Blinken delivered these remarks during a joint press conference in Cairo alongside his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry.
He also asserted that there are more effective methods to address "the ongoing threat posed by Hamas" than resorting to a military operation in Rafah. Blinken cautioned that such a military maneuver in Rafah would "exacerbate the situation" and reiterated the US's rejection of any forced displacement of Palestinians or the reoccupation of the Gaza Strip.
Regarding the ongoing indirect negotiations between Israel and the Hamas group aimed at achieving a ceasefire in Gaza, Blinken expressed optimism, stating, "While challenging, I remain convinced that it is still achievable." He observed that the differences between the two parties are diminishing during the ongoing discussions in Qatar and emphasized that the US will persist in "advocating for an agreement in Doha."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly pledged to initiate a ground offensive in Rafah. Despite multiple pleas from various countries, including the US, urging Israel to refrain from launching the planned offensive in Rafah, which is home to nearly 1.4 million displaced Palestinians.
Israel initiated a retaliatory offensive on Gaza following a cross-border attack by Hamas on October 7th. The offensive has resulted in nearly 32,000 casualties and over 74,000 injuries, exacerbating widespread destruction and shortages of essential goods.
The Israeli blockade imposed on the Palestinian enclave has left its population, especially residents of northern Gaza, on the brink of starvation. Approximately 85% of Gazans have been displaced by the Israeli onslaught, facing acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been either damaged or destroyed, according to reports from the UN.
Israel is currently facing accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice. In an interim ruling issued in January, the court ordered Tel Aviv to cease genocidal acts and take measures to ensure the provision of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza.
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