The United States would not support an Israeli military operation in Rafah “without serious planning” around the more than one million displaced civilians, State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel said.
“Conducting such an operation now, with no planning and little thought, in an area where there is shelter for a million people, would be a disaster,” Patel said at a press conference on Thursday (8).
Patel said the US would not support such a military operation without planning “with regard to the more than one million people who are sheltering there, as well as without considering the impacts on humanitarian assistance and the safe departure of foreign nationals.”
The spokesperson added that American Secretary of State Antony Blinken made this clear to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in meetings in Israel on Wednesday (7).
Asked where the more than one million people in Rafah could go, given that they cannot return to northern Gaza and the military action taking place in the south, Patel said: “These are legitimate questions that we believe Israel should answer.”
Patel said “no evidence of serious planning for such an operation” in Rafah has yet to be seen.
Despite repeated follow-ups, he did not elaborate on this “evidence” or whether it came from Blinken's briefing with Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and other senior officials on Wednesday.
Netanyahu said publicly on Wednesday that “the Israel Defense Forces are preparing to fight in Rafah.”
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
