Middle East

Arab countries call for international intervention to stop Israeli ground offensive in Rafah

Egypt describe incursion into Rafah as ‘dangerous escalation’

Men and a boy inspect the site of a building that was hit by Israeli bombardment in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday amid the continuing conflict in the Palestinian territory between Israel and the militant group Hamas. Photograph: AFP via Getty Images

Michael Jansen
Wed May 8 2024 - 16:26

Israel’s seizure of the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza has been condemned by Arab states. They are calling for urgent international intervention to prevent Israel’s planned ground offensive in Rafah, arguing that it will cause a humanitarian catastrophe for Gaza’s 2.3 million people and destabilise the region.

Beirut-based Hamas spokesman Usama Hamdan said the group would not submit to military pressure or threats and would not accept any “occupying force” at the Rafah crossing, the main gateway for vital aid to enter Gaza from Egypt.

Egypt’s foreign ministry described Israel’s action as a “dangerous escalation” that threatened ceasefire negotiations and endangered the lives of Palestinians who depend on the delivery of aid through the crossing which also provides “a safe way out [of Gaza] for injured and ill patients seeking treatment”.

Cairo warned Israel against taking control of the entire 14km – long 100m-wide border zone between Gaza and Egypt, known as the Philadelphi Corridor. This would amount to a violation of the 2005 agreement concluded when Israel withdrew its settlers and soldiers from Gaza.

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The first Arab country to make peace with Israel, Egypt is particularly sensitive to Israel’s actions in Gaza. Cairo has also been accused of joining Israel in blockading Gaza since Hamas took power in 2007.

Having cracked down on anti-war protests, Cairo did not anticipate Tuesday’s killing in Alexandria of an Israeli-Canadian businessman by a militant group, which claimed the shooting was in support of the people of Gaza.

The Saudi foreign ministry warned of “the dangers of the Israeli occupation forces targeting the city of Rafah as part of its systematic bloody campaign to storm all areas of the Gaza Strip and displace its residents towards the unknown”. The Saudis have been reluctant to accept a US proposal to form an Arab force to stabilise Gaza once Israel’s army withdraws, as this could be seen by Palestinians as occupying Gaza.

After meetings in Washington with US president Joe Biden and senior legislators, Jordan’s King Abdullah stressed the need for de-escalation to prevent regional spillover of the conflict and warned against Israeli plans to expel West Bank Palestinians into Jordan. As the second Arab country to sign an unpopular peace treaty with Israel, Jordan has struggled to contain anti-war demonstrations since October 7th, when Israel attacked Gaza after Hamas fighters raided southern Israel.

Qatar’s foreign ministry warned that Israel would commit “the crime of genocide [if it forces] civilians to move from [Rafah] city, which has become a final refuge for hundreds of thousands of displaced people inside the Gaza Strip”. This would be “a serious violation of international laws”. Having played a prominent role in mediating ceasefire negotiations, Qatar has a stake in their success.

Lebanon’s foreign ministry urged the international community and countries with influence on Israel to work for a permanent truce. Beirut seeks an end to Israeli threats to invade Lebanon in retaliation for Hizbullah’s cross-border rocket and drone strikes in northern Israel. The attacks were mounted to pressure Israel to halt the Gaza war.

Michael Jansen

Michael Jansen

Michael Jansen contributes news from and analysis of the Middle East to The Irish Times

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