Israel Dismisses UNSC Resolution Amid Escalation in Rafah
Israel persists with Rafah assault, ignoring global calls to ceasefire
Israel has continued its aggressive military operations in Rafah, disregarding a draft resolution presented to the UN Security Council demanding an end to the violence in the southern Gaza city.
Fresh airstrikes were reported on Wednesday morning, mere hours after Israeli tanks penetrated the heart of Rafah. “People are currently inside their homes because anyone who moves is being shot at by Israeli drones,” said resident Abdel Khatib.
Heavy Fighting in Rafah
Israeli airstrikes targeted various parts of the city, including the Badr camp and Zourob roundabout, as reported by the Palestinian news agency Shehab. The city is now experiencing a complete shutdown of telecommunications and internet services.
“The military now has control over the Philadelphi Corridor and is advancing deeper into the remaining part of the corridor – to the western part of Rafah city,” said a Palestinian security source.
Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Deir el-Balah, highlighted the chaos as Israel “continues to herd people from one place to another” amid the relentless attacks.
Previously, the Israeli military had designated Rafah as a safe zone, driving over half of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents to the city. Now, close to one million people have fled Rafah due to the ongoing assault, raising significant humanitarian concerns.
Read More:Netanyahu Apologizes for Fatal Rafah Strike as Global Criticism Mounts
Humanitarian Crisis Intensifies
Civilians who sought refuge in the al-Mawasi evacuation zone are now on the move again, seeking safety elsewhere in Gaza. However, bombing is widespread, not just in Rafah but also in Khan Younis and other parts of the Strip.
“The shelling has extended to the vicinity of the Kuwaiti Hospital, which is completely out of service. All of Rafah’s field hospitals, except one, are also out of service,” Mahmoud reported.
Despite international pleas, including from US President Joe Biden, Israel shows no signs of halting its offensive. The Biden administration insists that Israel has not yet crossed its red lines, with National Security Council spokesman John Kirby stating, “We have not seen them smash into Rafah.”
A civil defense official in Gaza reported that an Israeli strike on a displacement camp west of Rafah on Tuesday killed at least 21 people. The Israeli army, however, denied targeting designated humanitarian areas.
Global Response and UNSC Involvement
A strike over the weekend that killed 45 people spurred global outrage, prompting Algeria to call an emergency UN Security Council session on Tuesday evening. Algeria presented a draft resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Rafah, citing a ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) demanding Israel halt its military operations.
Algeria’s UN ambassador, Amar Bendjama, emphasized the urgency to “stop the killing in Rafah.” The council is set to discuss the issue again on Wednesday, with a potential vote in the coming days. However, previous US vetoes cast doubt on the likelihood of a resolution passing.
The humanitarian crisis in Rafah continues to worsen as international calls for peace go unheeded, and the situation remains dire for the civilians caught in the crossfire.
