Rafah’s population enduring 'unthinkable suffering': UN relief chief

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - UN relief chief Martin Griffiths voiced concern Friday about the situation in Rafah as the Israeli premier ordered his army to plan for an offensive in the Gaza Strip.

"Many of the well over 1 million people who make up Rafah’s population today have endured unthinkable suffering," Griffiths wrote on X.

His remarks came after Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the army to develop a dual plan to evacuate civilians from Rafah and to defeat the remaining Hamas battalions.

"Their homes have been destroyed, their streets mined, their neighborhood shelled. They've been on the move for months, braving bombs, disease and hunger.

"Where are they supposed to go? How are they supposed to stay safe?" said Griffiths.

He reiterated that there is nowhere left to go in Gaza.

"Civilians must be protected and their essential needs, including shelter, food and health, must be met," he added.

Despite the International Court of Justice’s provisional ruling, Israel continues its onslaught on the Gaza Strip, where at least 27,947 Palestinians have been killed, including 12,000 children and 8,190 women, and 67,459 injured since Oct. 7, according to Palestinian health authorities.

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas, which Tel Aviv said killed nearly 1,200 people.

The Israeli offensive has left 85% of Gaza’s population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure was damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.