Iran Press/ West Asia: Hamas has warned that Israel will commit a “massacre” in Rafah following Netanyahu signaling a ground invasion.
Ahmed al-Sufi, the mayor of Rafah, has told Al Jazeera that “any military action in the city crowded with more than 1.4 million Palestinians will lead to a massacre and a bloodbath”.
Nabil Abu Rudeina, official spokesperson for the Palestinian Authority also said the planned Israeli ground attack on Rafah and the attempt to displace Palestinians even more does not absolve the US responsibilities.
Palestine’s UN envoy also questions where civilians will be evacuated amid the planned attack.
UN chief Antonio Guterres said that half of Gaza’s 2.3 million population is now displaced in Rafah with nowhere to go, warning the displaced have no homes and no hope.
Meanwhile, The Saudi Foreign Ministry has cautioned against the “extremely dangerous repercussions” of Israel attacking and targeting the city of Rafah.
Jordan has warned Israel against carrying out an offensive in Rafah, according to a statement by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“We warn of the danger of the occupation army carrying out a military operation in Rafah, south of Gaza, which is home to a large number of displaced people,” the statement read.
As Israel intensifies its attacks on Rafah, people are now escaping to Deir el-Balah in the central part of the Gaza Strip.
Khan Younis now is currently the focus of the ground invasion.
Meanwhile, on Saturday afternoon Israel’s air forces attacked Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon, according to a military statement.
The statement on X also said that an observation post owned by the group near Merkaba was also hit.
The strikes come a day after Hezbollah launched a barrage of rockets at northern Israel.
At least 27,947 people have been killed and 67,459 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. The death toll in Israel from the October 7 Hamas attacks stands at 1,139.
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Gaza death toll nears 28,000
