Israeli officials appear to have set a deadline to invade Rafah, the largest refugee camp in the coastal territory, during Ramadan, which begins on March 10.
Benny Gantz, a member of the Israeli war Cabinet, delivered
an ultimatum at a Sunday event with the Conference of Presidents of
Major American Jewish Organizations, an umbrella group for the American Jewish
community.
“The world must know — and Hamas leaders must know — that if
by Ramadan the hostages are not home, then the fighting will continue, including
in Rafah,” Gantz said at the event.
Israel has argued it must move into Rafah, which hosts more
than a million Palestinians sheltering from the war, to ensure the complete
military defeat of the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
But the looming offensive is spurring major
concerns from human rights groups and emergency responders on the ground,
who warn that any invasion of Rafah could trigger a huge loss of civilian life and
upend humanitarian efforts in the Gaza strip.
Rafah, which borders Egypt, is the only place where humanitarian
aid is consistently entering Gaza, and Israeli military operations there
could hinder what few basic necessities many Palestinian civilians have access
to, including food, water and medical aid.
“Military operations in Rafah could lead to a slaughter
in Gaza," said Martin Griffiths, the UN emergency relief
coordinator, in a statement last week. “They could also leave an already
fragile humanitarian operation at death’s door.”
To address those concerns, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu said he ordered his military to draft a plan to
evacuate civilians before the invasion. Israel’s main ally, the US, has backed
a move into Rafah, but only if a plan is created to keep civilians safe.
With the Rafah operation imminent, Israel is facing pressure
from the Biden administration to protect civilian lives with an
evacuation plan.
Meanwhile, Arab neighbors are pushing Israel not
to invade the refugee camp. Egyptian officials have reportedly threatened to
shatter a decades-old peace treaty with Israel if troops move into Rafah, which
could send Palestinians over the border into Egypt and possibly displace them
permanently.
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