EU Warns Israel Against ‘Catastrophic’ Rafah Offensive 

Palestinian brothers warm up by a fire in front of a destroyed building during an Israeli military operation in the Al Nusairat refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip, 19 February 2024. (EPA) 
Palestinian brothers warm up by a fire in front of a destroyed building during an Israeli military operation in the Al Nusairat refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip, 19 February 2024. (EPA) 
TT
20

EU Warns Israel Against ‘Catastrophic’ Rafah Offensive 

Palestinian brothers warm up by a fire in front of a destroyed building during an Israeli military operation in the Al Nusairat refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip, 19 February 2024. (EPA) 
Palestinian brothers warm up by a fire in front of a destroyed building during an Israeli military operation in the Al Nusairat refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip, 19 February 2024. (EPA) 

The European Union on Monday warned Israel against launching an offensive in Rafah that ministers said would create a disaster for the roughly 1.5 million refugees crammed into the city on the southern edge of Gaza.

"An attack on Rafah would be absolutely catastrophic ... it would be unconscionable," Ireland's Foreign Minister Micheal Martin said before a meeting with foreign ministers from the 27 EU member states in Brussels.

"Over 1.5 million people are crowded into a very small corner of Gaza. They're weary, they are exhausted, they have nowhere else to go - how can anyone contemplate adding to that trauma?" he said.

Israel is preparing to mount a ground invasion of the enclave's southernmost city, which it has called a last bastion of Hamas control after nearly five months of fighting.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Friday the Israeli military (IDF) was planning operations in Rafah targeting Hamas fighters, command centers and tunnels, stressing that "extraordinary measures" were being taken to avoid civilian casualties.

Israel accuses Hamas fighters of hiding among civilians, something the militant group denies.

But EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that avoiding those casualties would be impossible.

"We have to continue putting pressure on Israel to make them understand that there are so many people in the streets of Rafah, it will be impossible to avoid civilian casualties," he said.

"This, certainly, will be against the respect of humanitarian law."

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock also called on Israel to respect humanitarian law, but added Israel had the "right to self-defense" as she said it was clear that Hamas fighters were still operating from Rafah.

"The most important thing would be that Hamas would lay down its weapons," she said.

"But Israel has to comply with international humanitarian law. Over a million people went to the south of Gaza because the IDF told them so. They can't just disappear in the sky."

Baerbock repeated her call for a "humanitarian ceasefire", to allow refugees to go back home in the north of Gaza.



UN Calls for Independent Probe into Civilians Harmed Trying to Get Food in Gaza

 Palestinians carry bags filled with food and humanitarian aid provided by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a US-backed organization approved by Israel, in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (AP)
Palestinians carry bags filled with food and humanitarian aid provided by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a US-backed organization approved by Israel, in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (AP)
TT
20

UN Calls for Independent Probe into Civilians Harmed Trying to Get Food in Gaza

 Palestinians carry bags filled with food and humanitarian aid provided by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a US-backed organization approved by Israel, in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (AP)
Palestinians carry bags filled with food and humanitarian aid provided by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a US-backed organization approved by Israel, in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (AP)

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres on Tuesday slammed as "unacceptable" the deaths of Palestinians seeking food aid in Gaza, a spokesman said, calling the loss of life in the territory "unthinkable".

"The Secretary-General continues to call for an immediate and independent investigation into these events and for the perpetrators to be held to account," UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters.

"We are witnessing unthinkable loss of life in Gaza (and) the secretary-general condemns the loss of lives and injuries of Palestinians seeking aid," he said. "It is unacceptable civilians are risking and in several instances losing their lives just trying to get food."

At least 27 Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded by Israeli fire near a food distribution site in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday, local health authorities said, in the third day of chaos and bloodshed to affect the aid operation.

A spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross told Reuters that its field hospital in Rafah received 184 casualties, adding that 19 of those were declared dead upon arrival, and eight died of their wounds shortly after.

The US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation launched its first distribution sites last week in an effort to alleviate widespread hunger amongst Gaza's war-battered population, most of whom have had to abandon their homes to flee fighting.

The Foundation's aid plan, which bypasses traditional aid groups, has come under fierce criticism from the United Nations and established charities which say it does not follow humanitarian principles.

The private group, which is endorsed by Israel, said it distributed 21 truckloads of food early on Tuesday and that the aid operation was "conducted safely and without incident within the site".

However, there have been reports of repeated killings near Rafah as crowds gather to get desperately needed supplies.

On Sunday, Palestinian and international officials reported that at least 31 people were killed and dozens more injured. On Monday, three more Palestinians were reportedly killed by Israeli fire.

The Israeli military has denied targeting civilians gathering for aid and called reports of deaths during Sunday’s distribution "fabrications" by Hamas.