Belgian FM Urges Protection for Rafah
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Belgium’s foreign minister, Hadja Lahbib, insisted that Rafah in Gaza must be spared any large-scale Israeli military operation, emphasizing the need to protect civilians and ensure full humanitarian access.
Lahbib also called for European sanctions against violent settlers in the West Bank, stating that Belgium has already taken measures in this regard.
Rafah remains the last key city that Israeli troops have yet to enter in Gaza. Despite international concerns about potential mass casualties among the 1.4 million Palestinians, most of whom have been displaced, the Israeli regime is determined to extend its ground operation into the city.
Meanwhile, Israeli gunboats have been firing at Palestinian fishermen off the Gaza coast, posing a threat to this vital source of food. Fishermen, who used to be able to fish up to 37km (23 miles) out to sea, are now restricted under the Israeli blockade.
According to Reuters, Israel expects to continue full-scale military operations in Gaza for another six to eight weeks as it prepares to mount a ground invasion of Rafah, the enclave’s southernmost city.
The regime's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is adamant about the ground operation in Rafah, despite warnings from countries like Australia, Canada, and New Zealand about its potential devastating impact on the forcibly displaced Palestinians in the city.
“Whoever tells us not to operate in Rafah is telling us to lose the war,” Netanyahu stated.
