Rafah Operation Could Be a ‘Slaughter’, Warns UN Official

A young boy looks on as relatives of Palestinians killed in Israeli bombing, mourn near their corpses in the yard of the al-Najjar hospital in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on May 3, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Hamas movement. (AFP)
A young boy looks on as relatives of Palestinians killed in Israeli bombing, mourn near their corpses in the yard of the al-Najjar hospital in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on May 3, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Hamas movement. (AFP)
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Rafah Operation Could Be a ‘Slaughter’, Warns UN Official

A young boy looks on as relatives of Palestinians killed in Israeli bombing, mourn near their corpses in the yard of the al-Najjar hospital in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on May 3, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Hamas movement. (AFP)
A young boy looks on as relatives of Palestinians killed in Israeli bombing, mourn near their corpses in the yard of the al-Najjar hospital in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on May 3, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Hamas movement. (AFP)

An Israeli incursion in Rafah would put the lives of hundreds of thousands of Gazans at risk and be a huge blow to the humanitarian operations of the entire enclave, the UN humanitarian office said on Friday.

Israel has warned of an operation against Hamas in the southern Gazan city of Rafah, where around a million displaced people are crowded together in shelters and makeshift accommodation, having fled months of Israeli bombardments triggered by Hamas fighters' deadly cross-border attack on Oct. 7.

"It could be a slaughter of civilians and an incredible blow to the humanitarian operation in the entire strip because it is run primarily out of Rafah," said Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN humanitarian office, at a Geneva press briefing.

Aid operations run from Rafah included medical clinics and food distribution points, including centers for malnourished children, he said.

A World Health Organization official said at the same briefing that a contingency plan for an incursion had been prepared, which included a new field hospital, but said it would not be enough to prevent a substantial rise in the death toll.

"I want to really say that this contingency plan is a band-aid," said Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representative for the occupied Palestinian territory via video link. "It will absolutely not prevent the expected substantial additional mortality and morbidity posed by a military operation."

He added that he was "extremely concerned" that any incursion would close the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt which is currently being used to import medical supplies. 



Salam: $12 Billion Needed for Lebanon’s Post-War Reconstruction

Officials are seen at the roundtable on the Emergency Support Project for Lebanon. (Prime Minister’s Office)
Officials are seen at the roundtable on the Emergency Support Project for Lebanon. (Prime Minister’s Office)
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Salam: $12 Billion Needed for Lebanon’s Post-War Reconstruction

Officials are seen at the roundtable on the Emergency Support Project for Lebanon. (Prime Minister’s Office)
Officials are seen at the roundtable on the Emergency Support Project for Lebanon. (Prime Minister’s Office)

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced that the cost of the country’s recovery following the latest destructive war with Israel is estimated at approximately $12 billion, stressing that the goal “is not only to rebuild, but to build back better through a more sustainable, inclusive, and transparent approach.”

Speaking at a roundtable on the “Emergency Support Project for Lebanon,” Salam outlined the urgent need for international funding to rehabilitate critical services and public infrastructure severely damaged by the war.

The event gathered diplomats from Arab, European, and Western countries, alongside representatives from global institutions and aid organizations.

“Lebanon stands at a critical crossroads,” Salam said in his opening remarks. “Despite hopes for a summer of renewal, the country is grappling with the devastating consequences of the Israeli war, which has cost many lives and crippled essential infrastructure nationwide.”

According to Salam, the Nabatieh and South Governorates suffered the most destruction, followed by parts of Mount Lebanon, including Beirut’s southern suburbs. The economic toll has been steep, with Lebanon’s real GDP contracting by 7.1% in 2024, compared to just 0.9% the previous year. Since 2020, Lebanon’s economy has shrunk by nearly 40%, deepening an already severe financial crisis.

To address this, the government launched the Lebanon Emergency Assistance Program (LEAP) initiative, a $1 billion framework designed to transition from immediate relief to long-term reconstruction.

Salam described LEAP as a transformative agenda, not merely a stopgap measure. The program focuses on restoring services, rebuilding infrastructure, and laying the foundation for climate-resilient and inclusive recovery.

LEAP prioritizes transparency and regional equity, with mechanisms across ministries to ensure aid reaches the communities most in need. “This is not a project Lebanon can undertake alone,” Salam said. “We are calling for coordinated international support within a unified, state-led framework that strengthens national institutions and rebuilds public trust.”

“The collapse of Lebanon’s financial sector is not just due to crisis,” he added, “but to years of poor governance and impunity. Meaningful reform is no longer optional, it is essential.”

In a related development, Salam revealed that over 500 weapons depots in southern Lebanon have been dismantled as part of broader efforts to restore state authority. He also confirmed enhanced security at Beirut’s international airport, while reiterating calls on Israel to halt its attacks and withdraw from disputed border areas.