Palestinian leader appeals to US to stop Israel Rafah offensive
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has called on the United States to stop Israel from attacking Rafah, saying the US is the only country that can stop the advance.
The southern Gaza city of Rafah is currently home to more than one million people who fled there to seek refuge.
Abbas, who runs parts of the occupied West Bank, said any attack could see Palestinians flee Gaza.
Israel has been planning the offensive in Rafah for months.
US President Joe Biden “reiterated his clear position” on Rafah to Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his call on Sunday.
The US has repeatedly said it will not support a large-scale Israeli military operation in Rafah without a credible plan to keep civilians out of harm’s way.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in the Saudi capital Riyadh earlier, Abbas – whose Palestinian Authority is not present in Gaza, which has been under Hamas rule since 2007 – urged the US to intervene.
“We appeal to the United States of America to ask Israel to stop the Rafah operation because America is the only country capable of preventing Israel from committing this crime,” he said, adding that only a “small strike” on Rafah would force the Palestinian population to flee the Gaza strip.
“The biggest catastrophe in the Palestinian people’s history would then happen.”
Mahmoud Abbas Twitter – ‘Assault on Rafah within days’
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas expects an assault of Rafah within days and says only the US can stop Israel attacking. The Gaza health ministry said today at least 66 Palestinians had been killed in the past 24 hours
— Alex Crawford (@AlexCrawfordSky) April 28, 2024