Shaaban Bilal (Rafah)
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres confirmed yesterday that there is a clear international consensus that any ground attack on the city of Rafah in southern Gaza will cause a humanitarian catastrophe.
His statements came during a press conference at the Egyptian Al-Arish Airport near the Rafah border crossing with Gaza, after Israel repeated its threat to launch a major military operation in Rafah, which is crowded with displaced people, five months after the outbreak of the war.
Guterres renewed his call for a ceasefire and an end to the “nightmare” that the residents of Gaza are experiencing, as a result of the devastating war that has been going on for more than five months, while Israel confirms its intention to launch a ground attack on Rafah, which is crowded with displaced people, despite Washington’s opposition.
Guterres said: “Palestinian children, women and men are living an endless nightmare” in catastrophic conditions. He added: “Nothing justifies the horrific attacks on October 7, and nothing justifies the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.”
He added: “Now, more than ever, it is time for an immediate ceasefire for humanitarian reasons,” explaining that he came “carrying the voices of the vast majority of countries in the world who are fed up with what is happening… Homes have been demolished and families and entire generations have perished in light of the famine that besets the population.” ».
Guterres also said, “With the guidance of Ramadan, the month of mercy, it is time to immediately release all hostages.”
On the ground, artillery shelling and raids continued to claim more lives throughout the besieged Gaza Strip, as the Israeli army continued its ground and air operations, which pushed more Gazans to flee to the cities of the south that were not spared from the bombing.
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