Sources: Israel briefed US on plan to evacuate civilians ahead of Rafah attack

2024-05-04 19:01:54, Kosova & Bota CNA

US officials say Israel briefed Biden administration officials this week on a plan to evacuate Palestinian civilians ahead of a possible operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. The operation, according to Israeli authorities, aims to root out Hamas militants.

The officials made the comments on condition of anonymity, adding that, however, the detailed Israeli plan did not change the US administration's view that an operation in Rafah would endanger the lives of many innocent Palestinian civilians.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to carry out the operation, despite warnings from President Joe Biden and other Western officials that such a move would result in further casualties and worsen an already fraught crisis. humanitarian crisis facing the region.

The Biden administration has warned of consequences for Israel if it goes ahead with the operation without a credible plan to protect civilians.

" In the absence of such a plan, we cannot support a major military operation in Rafah because the damage it would cause is beyond what is acceptable ," said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday evening during the Forum of Sedona, held in Arizona, organized by the McCain Institute.

About 1.5 million Palestinians have taken refuge in Rafah, as the territory has been ravaged by war that began on October 7 after Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 250 hostages.

The United Nations humanitarian aid agency said on Friday that hundreds of thousands of people would face "imminent danger to their lives" if Israel went ahead with plans to attack Rafah. The border town is a critical entry point for humanitarian aid and is teeming with Palestinians displaced from other parts of the region, many of them in overcrowded tent camps.

The officials added that the evacuation plan, which they said the Israelis informed the administration, had not been finalized and both sides agreed to continue discussions on the matter.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Friday that Israel has not shown the White House any "comprehensive" plans for a possible Rafah operation. The operation, she said, was discussed during the recent phone calls between President Biden and Mr. Netanyahu, as well as during virtual talks with senior Israeli and American national security officials.

" We want to make sure those conversations continue because it's important to protect the lives of innocent Palestinians ," said Ms. Jean-Pierre.

The revelation of Israel's continued efforts to carry out an operation in Rafah came after CIA Director William Burns arrived on Friday in Egypt, where negotiators are trying to reach a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas./ VOA