The leaders of Australia, Canada and New Zealand jointly warned Israel on February 15 against a potentially "catastrophic" ground offensive against the southern Gaza city of Rafah, expressing growing international concern, AFP said on February 15**.
In a rare joint statement, the three Commonwealth countries expressed growing concern about Israel's continued progress in the war that has dragged on for months and urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "not go down this path," the report said.
Some 1.4 million Palestinians are taking refuge in the Rafah area, including many of our country's citizens and their families. The three U.S. allies said.
The expansion of military operations would be catastrophic. We urge Israel** not to follow this path. Civilians have nowhere else to go. ”
The report also said that despite mounting international pressure and the fact that the Gaza authorities say the death toll on the ground has exceeded 280,000 people, Netanyahu vowed to continue advancing his military campaign.
He promised that the Israeli army would soon conduct a "robust" operation in Rafah. Rafah is currently home to a large number of residents from other parts of Gaza who have been displaced by the war.
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