UN chief warns against ground invasion of Rafah amid escalating tensions in Gaza
May 07, 2024
New York [US], May 7 : In a stark warning, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres declared on Monday that a ground invasion of Rafah would be "intolerable," citing its devastating humanitarian consequences and potential destabilising impact on the region, CNN reported.
"A ground invasion in Rafah would be intolerable because of its devastating humanitarian consequences and because of its destabilising impact in the region," the UN chief warned, adding, that he had made a "very strong appeal" to both the Israeli government and the leadership of Hamas to "go an extra mile" to reach a ceasefire agreement.
"This is an opportunity that cannot be missed," he added.
The tensions escalated with multiple airstrikes on Rafah early Tuesday, resulting in casualties and injuries, as reported by the Palestinian Civil Defence.
"Civil defence teams have managed to pull out a number of martyrs and transport several injured individuals from under the rubble of several homes which were bombed by Israeli warplanes tonight in various places in the Rafah governorate in southern Gaza Strip," the Palestinian Civil Defence statement read, according to CNN.
Images released by the Civil Defence depicted the grim aftermath, with several casualties recovered from beneath the rubble of bombed homes.
Palestinian official news agency WAFA confirmed eight deaths in two separate attacks on Rafah, although the precise timeline remains unclear. Rafah's Kuwait hospital reported receiving 11 deceased individuals, according to a Facebook post in the early hours of Tuesday local time.
Amid mounting airstrikes, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office reaffirmed on Monday the continuation of military operations in Rafah to "exert military pressure on Hamas." The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated their ongoing targeted strikes against Hamas terror targets in eastern Rafah.
The escalation follows a deadly overnight bombardment from Sunday to Monday, which claimed the lives of at least 26 individuals, according to the Civil Defence, CNN reported.
