EU Diplomat: Attack On Rafah Will Only Increase The Number Of Civilians Killed, Whatever Israel Says

JAKARTA - Attacks on Rafah are likely to kill more civilians, regardless of what Israel says, meanwhile, they are still being carried out despite warnings from EU countries and the United States, EU's top diplomats said Tuesday.

"The Rafah attack has started again, despite all requests from the international community, the US, member states of the European Union, everyone has asked (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu not to attack," Josep Borrell told reporters.

"I'm afraid this will cause more casualties, civilian casualties. Whatever they (Israel) say," he said, adding: "There is no safe zone in Gaza."

As previously reported, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a counterterrorism operation in the eastern part of Rafah City, Gaza Strip, on Monday evening local time.

Israel also claims to have taken control of the Rafah region which is the border between Gaza and Egypt.

The attack on Rafah has long been planned by Israel, to hunt down the rest of the battalion of the Hamas militant group which is claimed to be in the southern city of Gaza.

Yesterday, the Israeli military issued calls for civilians and refugees in eastern Rafah to move north of the city, along with plans for operations to be carried out there. They said the evacuation of residents and refugees in the eastern Rafah was not a massive step in the southern region of Gaza.

On the same day after, militant group Hamas approved a ceasefire proposal in Gaza from mediators, but Israel said the requirement did not meet its demands and would continue the attack on Rafah while planning to resume negotiations on the deal.

Separately, 54 people were killed and 96 others injured as a result of Israeli attacks in the past 24 hours, resulting in the death toll of Palestinians to 34,789 and injuries to 78,204 people, since the latest conflict between Hamas-Israel broke out on October 7, medical sources said Tuesday, quoted from WAFA.

The source added that there were still many victims still trapped under the rubble and on the road because the rescue team still could not reach them.