| Rafah offensive | |||||
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| Part of the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip during the Israel–Hamas war | |||||
 Location of Rafah | |||||
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| Belligerents | |||||
 Israel |
 Hamas | ||||
| Units involved | |||||
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The Rafah offensive is an Israeli offensive in the city of Rafah as part of its invasion of the Gaza Strip.
Israel claims that multiple Hamas brigades are present in the city, and is therefore crucial to its goal of destroying the militant group.[2] Because of the more than one million displaced people in Rafah, multiple countries expressed concerns about potential high casualties. The United States, Israel's largest military supplier, did not approve of plans to invade.[3] Egypt, concerned about a possible refugee crisis in Sinai, increased security on its border with Gaza.[4]
On 7 October 2023 Hamas attacked Israel and started the Israel–Hamas war.[5] Israel invaded the Gaza Strip on 27 October, and ordered an evacuation of northern Gaza.[6] Israel eventually solidified control of the north,[7] and invaded Khan Yunis to the south.[8] Civilians were ordered to evacuate again, and many went to Rafah.[9] With other cities in Gaza depopulated, Rafah became the most populous city in the State of Palestine, with more than 1.4 million people.[10]
Airstrikes on Rafah started on 8 October 2023,[11] and continued throughout the war.[12]
On 31 December Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Israel's intention to capture the Philadelphi Corridor, a buffer zone between Gaza and Egypt.[13]
On 27 January 2024 Israel notified Egypt that it was planning to take control of the corridor, which Egypt was strongly opposed to.[14] On 29 January The Jerusalem Post reported that an invasion of Rafah 'would take time'.[15] On 30 January Israeli intelligence chiefs met in Egyptian officials in Cairo to discuss an offensive in Rafah.[16]
In February 2024, multiple countries and organizations expressed concerns about the offensive.[17]
Israel announced that it would begin moving into Rafah, after declaring "victory" in Khan Younis.[18]
Israeli attacks targeted eastern and central Rafah, reportedly killing at least twenty-eight people.[19] UN Human Rights High Commissioner Volker Turk stated, "This sets off alarm bells for massive civilian casualties and further displacement to unknown location".[20]
The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that 92 people had been killed by Israeli attacks on Rafah.[21] At least two girls were killed on an attack at a kindergarten.[22] The intensifying Israeli attacks were reportedly centered in eastern Rafah.[23]
Axios reported that Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant stated to the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Israel would soon begin expanded ground operations in Rafah.[24] In Rafah, an Israeli airstrike bombed a civilian car next to an entertainment event for displaced children, reportedly killing at least one person.[25] Eleven people were killed in overnight airstrikes.[26] Six Palestinian policemen were reportedly killed while clearing the road for an aid truck.[27][28]
The U.S. National Security Council spokesman ohn Kirby stated, "Any major military operation in Rafah at this time... would be a disaster, and we would not support it".[29][30] The U.S. requested Israel to create a plan and prioritise the safety of civilians which had increased due to refugees from other areas of Gaza. U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby stated that they have not observed signs of an imminent Israeli offensive into Gaza.[31]
Netanyahu ordered the IDF to prepare to invade Rafah.[32][33] An intense bombing campaign in west Rafah was reported, reportedly indicating an expanding ground invasion.[34] At least twelve people were killed in airstrikes in southern Rafah.[35]
Netanyahu ordered the IDF to plan for the "evacuation of the population" from Rafah.[36] Israeli Prime Minister’s Office claimed that elimination of Hamas remains impossible without the destruction of the four Hamas battalions in Rafah which is the last major population center in Gaza not occupied by the IDF.[37] Doctors Without Borders issued a strong warning in response, stating, "Israel's declared ground offensive on Rafah would be catastrophic and must not proceed. Today’s announcement marks a dramatic escalation in this ongoing massacre."[38] Egypt sent 40 tanks to the Rafah border.[39] Eight people were killed and at least eighteen wounded in Israeli strikes on residential buildings in Rafah.[40]
Haaretz and Channel 12 stated Israel's plans for the Rafah invasion were not yet finalized.[41] Two Palestinians were killed after an Israeli strike on a police car in Rafah.[42] An unnamed Israeli official stated Palestinians in Rafah would be evacuated back northward.[43] At least 28 people were killed in Rafah by overnight Israeli attacks.[44]
Egypt warned Israel that if it invaded Rafah, the Egypt–Israel peace treaty would be suspended. Egypt also stepped up security on its border with Israel and sent 40 tanks and armored personnel carriers to northeastern Sinai.[4][45][46] Israel called up reservists for the operation.[47] Israeli airstrikes in Rafah killed two Hamas policemen, three senior officers, and a senior commander in the Rafah district.[48]
In a call with Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden stated Israel could invade Rafah with U.S. support when they had a "credible and executable plan" in place.[49] Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the head of the World Health Organization, stated reports of Israel's impending invasion were "extremely worrying".[50] Satellite imagery indicated Egypt had strengthened the border, including building earthen berms and security checkpoints.[51] At least 40 people were reported killed in east Rafah.[52] Al Jazeera journalist Hani Mahmoud described Israel's attacks on Rafah police as an intentional attempt to create civil disorder.[53]
Israel conducted a nighttime raid on Rafah and rescued two hostages.[54] To divert attention during the operation, bombing increased, killing more than 67 people according to the Gaza Health Ministry.[55] One survivor of Israel's bombing stated, "We heard the sound of explosions, like hell falling down on civilians".[56] The event coincided with Super Bowl LVIII, allegedly to distract Americans.[57][58][59][60]
Israeli airstrikes hit the area around the Kuwait Hospital.[61] During a press brief with U.S. president Joe Biden, King Abdullah II of Jordan stated the world "cannot afford an Israeli attack on Rafah".[62] Stéphane Dujarric criticized Israel's stated plan to evacuate people northward, stating, "You can’t send people back to areas that are littered with unexploded ordnance, not to mention a lack of shelter".[63] ICC prosecutor Karim Khan stated he was "deeply concerned" by Israel's bombardment of Rafah.[64][65]
More than 100 people were killed due to Israeli airstrikes targeting areas in Rafah and helicopters firing machine guns along the border areas.[66] An Al Jazeera correspondent reporting on the ground stated, "Warplanes that covered the sky, dropping barrages in a fiery belt that crushed the bodies of the displaced in their tents."[67] Hamas condemned the action as a "horrific massacre" by Israel against civilians in Rafah.[68]
Displaced people in Rafah began fleeing to other parts of the Gaza Strip, including Khan Younis and Maghazi.[69] Two Al Jazeera journalists were wounded by an Israeli drone missile while documenting living conditions in Rafah, with one reporter losing a leg.[70]
On 1 February 2024, Yoav Gallant announced the IDF would turn to Rafah once they "complete the mission" in Khan Younis.[71] Displaced people had been fearing an assault on Rafah, as "there is no farther south they can move."[72] Al Jazeera reported people in Rafah were in a state of disbelief, as "it seems they have no other place to go".[73] Volker Türk, the UN human rights chair, stated he was "deeply worried by Israel defence minister’s remarks on military push to Rafah. This sets off alarm bells for massive civilian casualties and further displacement".[74] UNOCHA reported on 2 February that "Rafah is a pressure cooker of despair, and we fear for what comes next."[75] The "level of panic" amongst displaced people in Rafah rose after Yoav Gallant stated, "Victory won’t be complete unless the military expands into Rafah."[76]
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry stated an Israeli assault on Rafah would lead to the "the annihilation of about 1.5 million Palestinians, or an attempt to displace them".[77] A Norwegian Refugee Council representative stated, "People in Rafah are trapped between Israeli tanks and the Egyptian border. I don’t think the announcement of an evacuation plan is realistic. Where would people go?"[78] On 10 February, an unnamed Israeli official stated Palestinians in Rafah would be evacuated northward.[79] On 10 February, people in Rafah reportedly began fleeing to Deir el-Balah.[80] A Human Rights Watch researcher stated, "This evacuation would be unlawful if it is ordered".[81] In an interview with ABC News, Netanyahu stated Palestinians in Rafah would be granted "safe passage" out of the city.[82]
On 12 February, Thomas White, the UN's Gaza relief director, stated that Israel's offensive in Rafah would result in "a million people [moving] in the Gaza Strip into areas that are not set up to accommodate them".[83] The Palestine Red Crescent Society stated, "There is no safe place at all and there is no way to evacuate."[84] Tareq Abu Azzoum, a journalist on the ground, stated Rafah was functioning like a "massive shelter" and warned of a humanitarian catastrophe in the city if the Israeli military were to attack, due to the large number of children and elderly people unable to easily evacuate.[85]
On 14 February, the United Nations said it would not be involved in an evacuation of Rafah, stating, "The UN does not participate in forced, non-voluntary evacuations. There is no plan at this time to facilitate the evacuation of civilians".[86]
Canada's Foreign Minister Melanie Joly stated Canada was "deeply concerned" about an Israeli invasion of Rafah.[88]
United States President Joe Biden opposed "any forced displacement of Palestinians in Gaza" and reaffirmed his stance that Israel should not continue with the military assault on Rafah "without a credible and executable plan" to ensure the safety of civilians.[66][89] Three U.S. officials, however, told Politico that Israel would not face any consequences from the United States if they were to invade Rafah and kill civilians.[90]
China's foreign ministry stated, "China follows closely the developments in the Rafah area, opposes and condemns actions that harm civilians and violate international law" and demanded Israel "stop its military operation as soon as possible".[91]
Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement that it was deeply concerned about an Israeli military operation in Rafah, stating, "It is crucial to improve the humanitarian situation as soon as possible".[92]
South Korea expressed deep concern over Israel’s plans and urged for the protection of civilians under international laws, the foreign ministry said in a statement.[93]
EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell stated, "Reports of an Israeli military offensive on Rafah are alarming. It would have catastrophic consequences worsening the already dire humanitarian situation and the unbearable civilian toll."[94]
Belgium's Prime Minister Alexander De Croo has warned that Israel’s incursion "would cause a further unmitigated humanitarian catastrophe and result in the death of numerous innocent civilians, again mostly children and women."[95]
Denmark's Ministry of Foreign Affairs made a statement on X, said that "Denmark shares the concern of EU and others regarding a potential Israeli military offensive in Rafah where more than half of Gaza’s population is seeking refuge."[96]
France's Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné stated an Israeli assault on Rafah would be unjustified.[97]
Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock stated, "Taking action now in Rafah, the last and most overcrowded place, as announced by the Israeli defence minister, would simply not be justifiable".[98]
Ireland's Micheál Martin stated an Israeli invasion of Rafah would entail "grave violations of international humanitarian law".[99]
Netherlands Foreign Minister, Hanke Bruins Slot, stated that Israel's planned assault on Rafah was "unjustifiable".[100]
UK's Foreign Minister David Cameron stated, "We think it is impossible to see how you can fight a war amongst these people. There’s nowhere for them to go... what we want is an immediate pause in the fighting, and we want that pause to lead to a ceasefire".[101]
Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit stated any attempt to displace Palestinians would cause the "Middle East [to] explode in an unprecedented way" and create "a confrontation for the next thousand years".[102]
Egypt denied claims that it would suspend the Egypt–Israel peace treaty if Israel invaded Rafah as long as Israel also adheres to its part of the treaty.[89][46] Egypt warned that a refugee crisis would occur in Sinai and sent 40 tanks to its border with Israel.[4] The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated there would be "dire consequences" if Israel invaded Rafah.[103]
GCC stated an invasion of Rafah would be a "blatant violation of international law".[104] Hamas said that an assault on Rafah would mean a breakdown in negotiations on a truce and prisoner exchange that have been ongoing for weeks.[66][105]
Jordan's King Abdullah II said that the world "cannot afford" an Israeli assault on Rafah as it would create another humanitarian catastrophe.[89]
Oman's Foreign Ministry stated, "We warn of the serious repercussions of the continuation of the occupation in its indiscriminate aggression in the Gaza Strip and its plans to storm Rafah."[106]
Palestine's president Mahmoud Abbas stated the impending Israeli invasion of Rafah would create "another Nakba, which will push the whole region into endless wars".[107]
Qatar urged the United Nations Security Council to prevent Israel from committing genocide and warned of a humanitarian catastrophe in Rafah.[66]
Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry warned of "very serious repercussions of storming and targeting" Rafah.[66] In a later statement, the foreign ministry stated Israel's planned invasion of Rafah was part of a "continued violation of international law and international humanitarian law".[108]
Turkey's foreign ministry stated, "We consider this operation as part of a plan to expel the people of Gaza from their own land... We call on the international community, in particular the UN Security Council, to take the necessary steps to stop Israel."[109]
Australia's prime minister Anthony Albanese made a joint statement with Justin Trudeau and Christopher Luxon, stating that "There is simply nowhere else for civilians to go," and Israel "must listen to its friends".[93]
New Zealand[93]In advance of an expected ground invasion of Rafah, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres stated, "Such an action would exponentially increase what is already a humanitarian nightmare with untold regional consequences."[110] The UN General Assembly President Dennis Francis stated, "I am shocked and deeply dismayed by the news of an Israeli military offensive into the south of the Gaza Strip. I join the Secretary-General in pleading on behalf of the multitudes of innocent civilians with nowhere safe to go".[111]
Save the Children stated, "Where is there left for the population to go? They have been already moved from the north of Gaza, from the central areas of Gaza – moved around like pieces on a chess board to achieve military objectives. There is nowhere left for them to move."[112] The Norwegian Refugee Council stated, "An expansion of hostilities could turn Rafah into a zone of bloodshed and destruction that people won’t be able to escape. There is nowhere left for people to flee to."[113] Omar Shakir, the Human Rights Watch director for Israel and Palestine stated, "There’s nowhere safe to go in Gaza. The ICJ has ordered Israel to prevent genocide. The [international] community should act to prevent further atrocities."[114]
Al Mezan Center stated, "The international community must act now to halt the ground invasion of Rafah."[115] The Carter Center stated "Ordering this new wave of displacement of Palestinians will further exacerbate the humanitarian crisis".[116] Catherine M. Russell, the president of UNICEF, stated, "Some 1.3M civilians are pushed into a corner, living on streets or shelters. They must be protected. They have nowhere safe to go".[117] Doctors Without Borders stated, "Israel’s declared ground offensive on Rafah would be catastrophic and must not proceed".[118] The World Food Programme stated it was deeply concerned by a military offensive in Rafah.[119]
Martin Griffiths, the UN humanitarian aid coordinator, stated, "The scenario we have long dreaded is unraveling at alarming speed... Military operations in Rafah could lead to a slaughter in Gaza."[120]
