Recently, Israel launched a large-scale airstrike on the Rafah area in southern Gaza, causing serious casualties**. The Israeli army has also indicated plans for a ground military operation against Rafah.
China said in its response on the 13th that China is highly concerned about the development of the situation in the Rafah area, opposes and condemns the harm to civilians and violations of international law, and calls on Israel to stop military operations as soon as possible, make every effort to avoid innocent civilians, and prevent a more serious humanitarian disaster in the Rafah area.
In the early morning of the 12th local time, the Israel Defense Forces launched a large-scale attack on Rafah, a city in the southern Gaza Strip, causing hundreds of people**. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on the same day that Israel would "continue this war until it completely defeats the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas)".
The Israeli military issued a statement on the same day, saying that the Israeli military, intelligence services and ** carried out a joint operation in the southern city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip in the early morning of the same day, and successfully rescued two Israelis who were detained by Hamas. "Two people are currently in good condition" and have been taken to a hospital in central Israel for examination.
Israeli army spokesman Hagari said that the Israeli army has been preparing for the rescue operation for a long time. He added that there are still more than 130 detainees in the Gaza Strip and that Israel "will continue to make every effort to bring them home."
Israeli Defense Minister Gallant said that the operation in Rafah in the early hours of the same day was a "turning point in operations" against Hamas, and that Israel would take more similar actions. He claimed that the Israeli army hopes to ensure the return of all detainees to their homes through peace talks rather than rescue operations, but that the Israeli side will take more similar actions if necessary.
The Israeli army's airstrikes on Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip are considered by locals to be the heaviest they have experienced since the outbreak of a new round of large-scale Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Abu Rudeina, spokesman for the Palestinian government, issued a statement on the 12th, calling on the international community to stop a possible large-scale Israeli ground offensive against Rafah.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously said that a military operation in Rafah will be considered, along with safe passage for civilians so they can leave. In response, Rudena called the statement "nonsense" and "deception of the world".
Hamas issued a statement on the 12th condemning Israel** and the army for ignoring the ruling of the United Nations International Court of Justice and committing "serious crimes" against Palestinian civilians. Hamas said that Biden and the United States are "fully responsible" for this, and they have given the Israeli side the "green light" to openly provide political support and financial and aid to the Israeli side. The international community has also called on Israel to stop launching a large-scale military attack on Rafah.
Li Shaoxian, dean of the China Institute of Arab Studies at Ningxia University, pointed out in an interview with a reporter from the China Central Television's Global Information Broadcast that since the current round of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Palestinians who have been driven from the northern and central Gaza Strip to the southern part of the Gaza Strip, such as Khan Younis, have concentrated in Rafah, a small place. More than 1.3 million Palestinians are currently crammed here, and it's the size of London's Heathrow Airport. ”
Li Shaoxian pointed out that conducting a ground military operation in such a crowded place is obvious that a human tragedy will definitely occur.
In addition, several sources pointed out that Egypt has warned Israel that it will suspend the implementation of the peace treaty with Israel if the Israeli army launches a ground operation against Rafah.
Why did Egypt issue a stern warning about Israel's action? If the Israeli army invades Rafah, how will Egypt respond?
Li Shaoxian believes that if the Israeli army enters Rafah, it will be equivalent to breaking through Egypt's bottom line. "Because the Rafah region and Egypt share a common border of more than 10 kilometres, in the event of an attack by a ground military operation, it is expected that more than 1 million people will flock to the 10-kilometre border between the Rafah crossing and the Egyptian border, and the Egyptian side will be under tremendous pressure. This clearly endangers Egypt's core interests. ”
Li Shaoxian also said that at present, Egypt has mobilized heavy troops to the border of the Gaza Strip, and at the same time deployed heavy armor**, including main battle tanks. It is conceivable that the possibility of a direct military conflict between Egypt and Israel cannot be ruled out once Israel launches a ground operation in the Rafah area. "I'm afraid this is not what anyone wants to see. ”