Several NGOs warn of the risks of an offensive on Rafah
“The current situation is expected to further deteriorate as Israeli forces issue “evacuation” orders to more than 100,000 civilians in parts of Rafah, and if the Israeli ground offensive in Rafah continues,” alert, in a press release, several NGOs, including Oxfam, Doctors of the World and Save the Children.
“Not only will a ground offensive by Israeli forces in Rafah critically increase humanitarian needs, it will push humanitarian actors out of the governorate and endanger the functioning of the Rafah crossing at a time when much-needed humanitarian response is already hampered “, continue the organizations.
“Responding to the massive humanitarian needs that will arise from this serious deterioration of the situation will be extremely difficult. A significant part of humanitarian capacity, including premises and warehouses, is located in Rafah. Therefore, a large-scale invasion of the governorate by Israeli forces will represent a significant step backwards for the humanitarian response, already hampered for months by an extremely unstable and limited operational environment. they add.
In addition, NGOs believe that Israeli promises aimed at facilitating increased humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip have not yet been kept and cannot be kept anymore, given the threat.