U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated on Tuesday that Israel has not communicated a specific date for the commencement of a significant offensive into the southern Gaza city of Rafah to the United States. However, he noted ongoing communication between American and Israeli officials aimed at mitigating civilian harm in any potential military operation.
Blinken’s remarks followed Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s declaration on Monday of a scheduled invasion of Rafah. The United States, Israel’s primary ally, has expressed concern, labeling a ground operation into Rafah as unwise and demanding a credible plan to safeguard civilians.
Rafah, home to approximately 1.4 million Palestinians, predominantly consists of individuals displaced from other regions of the Gaza Strip. Israel’s conflict with the militant organization Hamas has exacerbated Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, placing over 1 million people on the brink of starvation.
Efforts to broker a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas are underway in Cairo this week.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry on Tuesday, Israel’s airstrikes and ground assaults in the past six months have resulted in the deaths of at least 33,360 Palestinians and injuries to 74,993. While the ministry’s tally does not distinguish between civilians and combatants, it notes that women and children comprise two-thirds of the fatalities.
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