On Monday, the leaders of France, Egypt, and Jordan cautioned Israel of a possible attack on the southern Gaza city of Rafah and called for a “immediate” ceasefire in Israel’s conflict with Hamas.
“We warn against the dangerous consequences of an Israeli offensive on Rafah, where more than 1.5 million Palestinian civilians have sought refuge,” they said in a joint editorial published in several newspapers.
“Such an offensive will only bring more death and suffering, heighten the risks and consequences of mass forcible displacement of the people of Gaza and threaten regional escalation.”
King Abdullah II of Jordan, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi of Egypt, and President Emmanuel Macron of France all signed the editorial.
Following Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s announcement that an attack date had been chosen, the United States previously declared that it opposed any attack on Rafah.
In accordance with the requests of the UN Security Council, the three leaders demanded that a “immediate ceasefire… be fully implemented without further delay” and that all hostages detained by Hamas be freed.
“The war in Gaza and the catastrophic humanitarian suffering it is causing must end now,” the three leaders said in the op-ed published by Le Monde in France, the Washington Post in the United States, Al Rai in Jordan and Al Ahram in Egypt.
They demanded that aid be permitted to enter Gaza on a “massive increase” basis.Israel is facing increasing international pressure to accept a ceasefire, especially from the United States, which is both its main ally and a major source of weapons.
In the meantime, Hamas announced on Monday that it was reviewing a plan for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange following discussions in Cairo.
Six months into an ongoing conflict with Islamist terrorists in Gaza, Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant declared that the moment was perfect for a settlement.
Netanyahu stated that a date has been fixed for the entry of troops into Rafah, even though talks are still ongoing.
An invasion would have “an enormously harmful effect” on civilians and ultimately Israeli security, the US State Department reaffirmed.
According to Israeli statistics, the conflict started on October 7 when Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing 1,170 people—mostly civilians.
In addition, around 250 Israeli and foreign captives were taken by Palestinian terrorists; of them, 129 are still held in Gaza, 34 of whom the army claims are dead.
According to the health ministry of Hamas, Israel’s retaliatory attack, which it declared would destroy Hamas, has killed at least 33,207 people in Gaza, the majority of them women and children.
