The Biden administration has repeatedly urged Israel to hold off on major military attacks on Rafah, including In a virtual meeting last week. At that meeting, U.S. officials assessed Israeli attack options but were not convinced they met President Joe Biden’s insistence that any operation should be tailored to minimize civilian casualties. White House statement.
At a news conference in Washington on Tuesday, David Satterfield, the U.S. special envoy for humanitarian issues in Gaza, reiterated the Biden administration’s concerns about Israel’s planned invasion of Rafah.
“We cannot support the ground operation in Rafah without an appropriate, credible, enforceable humanitarian plan,” Satterfield said, warning that an incursion would complicate the delivery of aid and disrupt the already massive Civilians were displaced from their homes.
“Where are they going?” he said. “How to meet their needs – shelter, medicine, water, sanitation?”
According to Palestinians in the area, Mawasi has been attacked by Israeli forces before. Israel accuses militants of firing rockets from Mawasi.
“There is no safe place,” said Mr. Hasi, a medical worker who took refuge in Mawasi. “I have no animosity towards Israel or anyone in the world, but I cannot guarantee that the building, land or car next to me will not be targeted.”
In Rafah, Rajab al-Sindawi, a second-hand clothing salesman who fled to Rafah from Gaza City in the north, said when he, his wife and seven children huddled in a small tent on the sidewalk , he felt very anxious.
“People are waiting to hear how they’re going to move us,” he said.
Michael Levinson, Anushka Patil and Lauren Leatherby Contributed reporting.
