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US says it wouldn't support Israeli military operations in Rafah without plan for civilians. Here's the latest
The United States would not support an Israeli military operation in Rafah, the Gaza Strip's most southerly city where more than a million displaced civilians are living, "without serious planning," the US State Department said Thursday. "To conduct such an operation right now with no planning and little thought in an area where there is sheltering of a million people would be a disaster," US State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said at a news briefing.
Patel added that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made this clear to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in meetings in Israel on Wednesday. Netanyahu said the same day that the Israel Defense Forces "is preparing to fight in Rafah."
Does this imply the US was supporting all the other shit the IDF has done so far? Or just more empty words. Probably just preempted covering for the US for when the bloodbath starts.
Civilians in Gaza moved around like chess pieces, says Save the Children country director
Jason Lee, the charity’s country director for the occupied Palestinian territories, told Al Jazeera that the situation in Rafah was extremely difficult for civilians in light of Israel’s continued attacks. “The situation in Rafah continues to deteriorate day after day,” Lee said. “We’re now facing a massive displacement of people – over 1.3 million people are estimated to be in Rafah, where there is no shelter, there is absolutely nowhere for them to live. Civilians are living in tents, in makeshift shelters all along the sides of streets, in car parks, next to mosques, next to schools, next to hospitals, wherever they can find space.”
Lee decried the constant displacement that Palestinians in Gaza have faced as they escape Israeli bombardment. “Where is there left for the population to go? They have been already moved from the north of Gaza, from the central areas of Gaza – moved around like pieces on a chess board to achieve military objectives. There is nowhere left for them to move.”
Lee added that if the military attack on Rafah escalated, civilians would be forced to flee to areas already destroyed by Israel, where significant risks existed, particularly for children, such as the presence of unexploded ordnance.
Some more details about the detained Americans
Two US brothers, Canadian father detained in Israeli raid in Gaza: Report
Israeli soldiers tied up and blindfolded the women and children in the family and placed them outside the home, the cousin said. The two American brothers, their Canadian citizen father, a mentally disabled uncle and two other adult male relatives were taken away by the Israelis, and have not returned, Elagha said.
Other people in neighbouring homes were also taken away by the soldiers. US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Washington will “be talking to our Israeli counterparts” about the reported detentions of US citizens.
