– The large military operation in Rafah should not continue without a clear plan to ensure the safety of more than a million people who are there, Biden said from the podium on Tuesday night. The American president asks Netanyahu to moderate the warfare and has repeatedly demanded that Israel drop a ground operation in Rafah before the country has a clear plan to protect the Palestinian population in the area. Nearly 1.5 million Palestinians live in the small town on the border with Egypt. – Many have fled several times from the ramparts in the north. Now they are huddled together in Rafah, exposed and vulnerable. And they must be protected, Biden insisted. Palestinians in Rafah flee once again to escape the fighting. This time they return north. Photo: AFP China also urges Israel to stop military operations in Rafah “as soon as possible”. The country has previously advocated a comprehensive international peace conference in the conflict and wants a timetable for a two-state solution. Humanitarian crisis Jordan’s King Abdullah is in Washington DC to talk to the president about, among other things, the Gaza war. The country is an important ally for the US in the region. The king is the first Arab leader to meet President Biden since the war broke out on 7 October last year. King Abdullah does not hide the fact that he wishes for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza in addition to a two-state solution. He warned that an Israeli ground offensive against Rafah would result in a humanitarian disaster. – We cannot stand by and let this continue. We need a lasting ceasefire now. This war must end, he said. The King of Jordan speaks at the White House after talks with the US President. Photo: AP Netanyahu is still adamant that it is necessary to carry out attacks against Rafah in order to wipe out Hamas. The Prime Minister said on Monday that the military pressure will continue until Hamas is defeated. – Only military pressure and complete victory will result in the release of all the hostages, says a statement from the prime minister’s office. Possible ceasefire – We are actively working for peace, security and dignity for both the Palestinian people and the Israeli people. And I work on that day and night, said the president from the podium. Joe Biden says the US is working with allies in the region for a hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas that could lead to six weeks without fighting in the Gaza Strip. According to the president, this agreement will ensure the release of hostages and send in additional emergency aid. An end to hostilities for six weeks can mean that you “use the time to build something lasting”, said Biden. Palestinians in Rafah study the destruction after Monday’s Israeli airstrikes on the city. Photo: Reuters Densely populated Before the war broke out, Rafah had around 280,000 inhabitants. Now the number of Palestinians in the area is closer to 1.5 million. The people live in tents in makeshift refugee camps and most are internally displaced fleeing the bombs. – It is clear that we are afraid. We have the old and sick with us. We have several children with us. Where are we going to travel? said Ahlam Abu Ida to news’s team in Gaza.
ttn-69
Fears further humanitarian disaster in Rafah – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
