International community reacts to military operation in Rafah, Israeli Foreign Minister Katz declares compliance with the laws of war

On February 13, the United Nations (UN) protested Israel's ground attack on the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip, warning that military operations could cause many casualties in this area where more than 1 million people live.

Xung đột Hamas-Israel: Cộng đồng quốc tế phản ứng về chiến dịch quân sự tại Rafah, Ngoại trưởng Israel Katz tuyên bố tuân thủ luật chiến tranh quốc tế

The UN has condemned Israel's attack on the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip, warning that military operations could cause more casualties in the area where more than 1 million people live. (Source: Getty)

UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief, Martin Griffiths, stressed that the military campaign in Rafah could seriously damage humanitarian activities, which are already facing many difficulties in the region.

More than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million people are sheltering in Rafah, he said, with inadequate food, shelter and almost no access to medical services. The UN is short of supplies and personnel to sustain its humanitarian operations, while the international community has strongly opposed the ground assault on Rafah.

The UN Deputy Secretary-General urged the Israeli government not to ignore these calls.

On the same day, Pakistan and Cuba protested Israel's military offensive against the city of Rafah. Meanwhile, South Africa urged the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to put pressure on Israel to stop its attack there.

Previously, on February 13, Jordanian King Abdullah met with US senators in Washington to promote a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

During the meeting, King Abdullah called on the international community to make greater efforts to end the conflict in Gaza as soon as possible. He reaffirmed Jordan's stance against any plans to force Gazans to relocate within or outside the territory.

The King of Jordan also called for the establishment of a political framework to realize a just and comprehensive peace, emphasizing that the two-state solution is the only way to ensure lasting stability in the region.

Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on world leaders to end the crisis in Gaza by addressing the root causes of the problem and establishing an independent Palestinian state.

In his speech as a guest of honor at the World Government Summit taking place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), President Erdogan stressed that no solution can be completed without establishing an independent, sovereign and geographically integrated Palestinian State based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

In Egypt, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi held separate meetings in Cairo with CIA Director William J. Burns and Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani to discuss the latest developments in the Gaza Strip.

At the meeting with the CIA Director, President El-Sisi and Mr. Burns affirmed that Egypt and the US will continue to consult and coordinate to achieve a ceasefire, protect civilians and implement a two-state solution to establish security and stability in the region.

During the meeting with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Al-Thani, the two sides highlighted the extreme danger of the escalating conflict in the city of Rafah in southern Gaza, and stressed the need to promote international efforts to prevent the conflict from spreading and increasing tensions in the region.

Regarding the talks in Cairo involving representatives of the United States, Egypt, Israel and Qatar on a ceasefire in Gaza, Egyptian media reported that the discussions will last for three days. US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that the negotiations are on track.

However, Israeli and American media said the Israeli delegation left Cairo on the evening of February 13 without narrowing any major disagreements in the negotiations.

According to health authorities in the Gaza Strip, the conflict between the Islamist Hamas movement and Israel has killed more than 28,000 Palestinians since it broke out in October 2023. Meanwhile, Israeli statistics show that the conflict has killed 1,200 people in the country.

As humanitarian operations face many difficulties due to escalating hostilities, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has urged countries that are temporarily suspending support for the agency to reconsider their decision, to avoid UNRWA having to reduce the scale of its operations next March.

Speaking in the Jordanian capital Amman, UNRWA's communications director, Juliette Touma, said the suspension of financial support by 16 countries, mainly Western countries, could cause the agency to lose more than 51% of its expected revenue this year, endangering essential humanitarian activities in Gaza and the region.

* Previously, on December 13, Al Jazeera TV channel quoted Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz as declaring that Tel Aviv "strictly complies with international laws of war, ensuring the safe movement of civilians in Gaza".

Foreign Minister Katz made the above statement in response to the call of the High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, in which he asked the US and its allies to stop sending weapons to Israel. Mr. Katz accused Hamas of blocking the safe passage of the people of Gaza and emphasized: "Our commitment to the lives of the people of Gaza is greater than Hamas."

In addition, the Israeli Foreign Minister stated: “Calls to limit Israel's defense capabilities only strengthen Hamas. Israel is determined to carry out its mission to destroy Hamas.”

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