Saudi Arabia has issued a stern warning to Israel over its planned invasion of Rafah, cautioning that such an action could precipitate a severe humanitarian crisis.
The Saudi Arabian foreign ministry, in a statement released on Saturday, called for an immediate cessation of hostilities as Israel readies itself for a ground incursion into Rafah, a city located at the southernmost tip of the Gaza Strip, bordering Egypt. The city is currently teeming with over half of Gaza's estimated 2.3 million inhabitants.
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has directed the military to devise a strategy for evacuating the city's populace in anticipation of a ground assault aimed at annihilating four Hamas battalions purportedly stationed there. Netanyahu disclosed that he had instructed the military to prepare for the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of residents from the city before the ground invasion.
A significant proportion of the current population has sought refuge in the city from other parts of Gaza since the conflict began. Saudi Arabia asserts that these displaced individuals have no other place to seek shelter. The timeline for the potential ground invasion remains uncertain.
"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia warns of the very serious repercussions of storming and targeting the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip, which is the last resort for hundreds of thousands of civilians forced by the brutal Israeli aggression to flee," the Saudi Arabian foreign ministry stated. "The Kingdom affirms its categorical rejection and strong condemnation of their forcible deportation and renews its demand for an immediate ceasefire."
The Saudi Arabian admonition coincided with the day 31 Palestinians, including 10 children, lost their lives in Israeli airstrikes in the city. Earlier in the week, Netanyahu pledged that Israeli forces would continue to fight until they achieved "total victory", including in Rafah, following the collapse of ceasefire negotiations.
The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics reports that Rafah's population, which stood at 264,000 at the beginning of 2022, has surged to approximately 1.4 million as people seek refuge there since the conflict erupted. The next possible refuge for civilians in Rafah remains unclear.
According to Reuters, the health ministry in Gaza stated on Saturday that Israeli strikes on Gaza since October 7 have resulted in the death of at least 28,000 Palestinians and injured 67,600 others. The conflict, which has been ongoing for four months, was triggered by a surprise terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7, during which militants infiltrated the border from Gaza and slaughtered around 1,200 people.
"This continued violation of international law and international humanitarian law confirms the need for an urgent convening of the U.N. Security Council to prevent Israel from causing an imminent humanitarian disaster for which everyone who supports the aggression is responsible," the Saudi statement concluded.
Despite engaging in diplomatic discussions with the U.S. to formally recognize Israel in the months leading up to the October 7 attacks, Saudi Arabia has not yet done so. The matter was put on hold due to Arab outrage over Israel's offensive. Earlier this week, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh, Saudi Arabias capital and primary financial hub.
On Wednesday, the Saudi Arabian foreign ministry stated that the country would not establish diplomatic relations with Israel unless an independent Palestinian state is recognized on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. Riyadh reiterated its call for permanent members of the U.N. Security Council that have not recognized a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital to do so.
Login