A crowded street in Rafah / Getty Images
Tel-Aviv - A senior UN official has cautioned against an Israeli assault on Rafah, stating it could result in a "massacre."
The population of Rafah has surged from 250,000 to 1.5 million as Palestinians seek refuge in the southernmost city of Gaza.
Martin Griffiths, the humanitarian chief, described the ongoing assault on Palestinians in Gaza as unprecedented in its severity and brutality.
He emphasized that the consequences of an invasion of Rafah would be catastrophic, highlighting the dire humanitarian situation with over a million people crammed into the city, facing shortages of food and medicine and lacking safe havens.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to eliminate Hamas militants allegedly hiding in the city.
Griffiths issued a stark warning, stating that an Israeli incursion into Rafah would severely jeopardize ongoing humanitarian efforts in the already fragile region.
A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that the UN has not been informed of any evacuation plans for Rafah from Israel and would not support any forced displacement of civilians.
Rafah, situated in the southern part of the Gaza Strip on the border with Egypt, has seen its population swell to an estimated 1.5 million as civilians sought shelter following Israeli evacuation orders.
Describing Rafah as a place of hardship characterized by overcrowding, chaos, and soaring prices, Dahman highlights the immense difficulties endured by its residents.
Kareem Dahman, a displaced Palestinian residing in Rafah, shared with CNN the unsettling experience of hearing drones and bombing sounds, particularly close to his location. He recounted how he and over a dozen family members are crammed into a single room at a friend's house, underscoring the challenging conditions they face.
Others find shelter in crowded houses within the city, where rocket attacks have become a grim reality.
An estimated one million people are packed into a sprawling tent city in the southern Gaza area, as seen in satellite images revealing its rapid expansion.
Rafah in October 13 2023 (left) and January 14 2024 (right), showing how the population has grown from 280,000 to more than 1.5 million. Credit: Planet Labs PBC
The city has been heavily bombarded by Israeli airstrikes, resulting in numerous casualties, as reported by the Hamas-run health ministry.
Griffiths also highlighted the dangers faced by humanitarian workers in Gaza, who have been subjected to violence and attacks due to the breakdown of law and order.
Negotiations for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas have resumed in Cairo, with representatives from the US, Israel, Egypt, and Qatar participating.
There is mounting international pressure on Israel to refrain from invading Rafah, with President Joe Biden stressing the need to protect civilians and UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron urging Israel to carefully consider its actions.
Despite these efforts, subsequent statements from the Egyptian State Information Service indicated that there had been no significant progress toward peace.
The statement from the Egyptian authorities emphasized the extreme danger of escalating operations in Rafah and warned of the serious consequences of such actions.