Germany warns Israeli ground offensive in Rafah would lead to humanitarian catastrophe

By Anadolu staff

BERLIN (AA) - Germany on Wednesday warned Israel that a ground offensive in Rafah would lead to a humanitarian catastrophe, with more deaths and suffering.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the humanitarian situation in Gaza is becoming more dramatic with every hour, with hundreds of thousands of people facing hunger crisis and famine risk.

“Gaza is on the brink of collapse. In Rafah, 1.3 million people are being held out in a very confined space, under the most terrible conditions,” Baerbock said in a statement, ahead of her meetings with Israeli officials in Tel Aviv.

She underlined that while Israel has a right to defend itself against Hamas, it must abide by international law and take measures to protect Palestinian civilians in Rafah.

“Many of them have followed the Israeli evacuation orders and fled the combat zones in northern Gaza - often with nothing more than their children in their arms and the clothes on their backs,” Baerbock said.

“Under these conditions, an offensive by the Israeli army on Rafah would completely deteriorate the humanitarian situation. People in Rafah cannot simply vanish into thin air. They need safe places and safe corridors,” she stressed.

“During my talks in Israel, I will talk about how the humanitarian suffering can be alleviated and how the hostages can be released. To ensure that the people in Gaza do not starve and die of thirst, significantly more humanitarian aid must urgently come to Gaza,” she added.