Friday
3rd May 2024
Dhivehi Edition
Israeli Military continue their assault on Gaza. | Photo: Reuters
Saudi Arabia has asked the United Nations to stop Israel from launching an attack on the Palestinian city of Rafah.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement that if the Israeli military launched such a full-scale attack on such a heavily populated area by civilians displaced due to the Israeli military assault, there would be a huge humanitarian disaster. The Saudi government strongly condemns such an invasion and says the consequences would be catastrophic.
Since the beginning of the offensive on October 7, Israel has been telling residents of northern and central Gaza to move to areas south of Gaza.
The Saudi statement also condemned the forced "deportation" of Palestinians.
The statement added that Israel's continued disregard for international rules and laws is the main reason why the Security Council should hold an emergency meeting soon to prevent Israel's plans from being implemented.
More than 1.7 million Palestinian refugees are still living in temporary shelters in southern Gaza, with a large number near the Egyptian border in Rafah.
If the Israeli army attacks Rafah, the only place for Palestinians to flee is Egypt. The Egyptian border is reinforced with concrete barricades, and has been closed and secured. Therefore, if Israel starts attacking, a large number of Palestinians are likely to be killed again, according to media reports.
The death toll from Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7 has risen to more than 28,000, with the number of injured having reached 100,000.