EU urges Israel to 'end military operation in Rafah immediately'

By Nur Asena Erturk

The EU urged Israel to “end its military operation in Rafah immediately,” according to an official statement on Wednesday.

“This operation is further disrupting the distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza and is leading to more internal displacement, exposure to famine and human suffering,” the statement of EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell's office read.

It recalled that more than 1 million civilians took shelter in and around Rafah.

“The European Union is calling on Israel to refrain from further exacerbating the already dire humanitarian situation in Gaza and reopen the crossing point of Rafah. Should Israel continue its military operation in Rafah, it would inevitably put a heavy strain on the EU’s relationship with Israel,” the bloc warned.

The EU also noted that Israel must allow humanitarian access for civilians, and reminded Israel of the Jan. 26 and March 28 provisional orders of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

“We call on all parties to redouble their efforts to achieve an immediate ceasefire and the unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas,” the statement said.

Last week, the Israeli forces launched a ground attack in Rafah, where more than 1.5 million displaced Palestinians have sheltered and also captured the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing, a vital route for humanitarian aid and the territory’s only gateway to the outside world.

Israel has killed more than 35,100 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 Hamas cross-border attack that claimed 1,200 lives. Much of the enclave has been reduced to rubble besides causing conditions of famine.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the ICJ, which in January said it is "plausible" that Tel Aviv is committing genocide in Gaza, ordering it to stop such acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.