Israeli ground operation in Rafah a ‘serious concern,’ Latvia says

By Leila Nezirevic

LONDON (AA) - Latvia on Thursday said that Israel’s military assault in Rafah, the southern Gaza Strip, has caused “serious concern.”

Earlier this week, Tel Aviv decided it would continue with its military assault on Rafah despite Hamas agreeing to a cease-fire.

“A potential full-scale Israeli ground operation in Rafah causes serious concern, given the risks to civilian population.

“The current priority is an immediate humanitarian pause, release of all hostages and provision of humanitarian assistance,” the Latvian Foreign Ministry told Anadolu when asked about their response to Israel’s decision to go ahead with its military assault despite Hamas agreeing to a cease-fire.

EU nations continue to call on Tel Aviv to halt military operations in Rafah demanding an immediate cease-fire.

Iceland on Tuesday warned that Israeli actions would cause “immeasurable suffering” to the Palestinian population.

“Iceland urges Israel to halt operations in Rafah, where a large-scale attack would cause immeasurable suffering,” Foreign Minister Thordis Kolbrun Reykfjord Gylfadottir told Anadolu.

“We call on Hamas and Israel to urgently agree to and implement a sustainable cease-fire, ensure humanitarian aid and release of hostages, the minister said, adding: “Civilian suffering must stop.”

Norway on Tuesday also called for an urgent cease-fire in Gaza, warning against an Israeli ground offensive in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide’s comments came after Tel Aviv confirmed earlier this week that it has a full “operational control of the Gaza side of the Rafah crossings.”

Eide told Anadolu that every attack in Gaza is "a betrayal of Palestinian women and children."

“A cease-fire means the difference between life and death for many people on both sides of the conflict.

“The short-term goal of such an agreement is to bring an end to the immense suffering in Gaza,” Eide said.

The whole world is watching and expects both parties to demonstrate willingness to reach an agreement, he added.

“Gaza is a man-made disaster. Words cannot describe the suffering and hardship its 2.3 million inhabitants have endured over the past seven months,” he added.

On Monday, Israeli forces asked people to leave parts of Rafah making it clear that Tel Aviv was proceeding with its brutal assault and ground offensive on the city in southern Gaza, where a large number of Palestinians sought refuge after being forced to flee other parts of the besieged enclave.

The city's current population is estimated to be around 1.5 million, and it is unclear where they will seek refuge from Israel's military offensive.

NGOs have warned that the people of Rafah, as well as those who have been displaced from other parts of Gaza, have no other place to go if Israel bombs the city.

Despite warnings from Israel’s allies, including the US, Tel Aviv has insisted that an attack on Rafah will take place.

More than 34,900 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed and over 78,000 injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities in Tel Aviv’s war on Gaza.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January said it is "plausible" that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza and ordered Tel Aviv to stop such acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.