One Million Palestinians Have Fled Rafah; Deep Concerns from Washington Over Israeli Airstrikes

The U.S. State Department announced that Washington has conveyed its deep concerns regarding Israel's airstrikes on Rafah to the government of that country and has called for an immediate investigation into the incident. At the same time, the United Nations reported that since the onset of Israeli forces' advance in Rafah, over one million Palestinians have fled the southern Gaza city in three weeks. Despite international opposition to the Israeli military's assault on Rafah, which had become a refuge for approximately 1.4 million displaced Palestinians, reports indicate that Israeli tanks have advanced to the center of the city. Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, stated at a press conference on Tuesday that Israel's military operations in Rafah have not yet reached the scale of operations conducted in central and northern Gaza. The Biden administration has repeatedly warned Israel against a large-scale military assault on Rafah. Mr. Miller emphasized that the U.S. insists Israel adhere to its commitments to fully implement international human rights laws, minimize the impact of its operations on civilians, and allow maximum humanitarian aid access to the Gaza Strip. Following an Israeli airstrike on Sunday night targeting Palestinian refugee tents in a western Rafah neighborhood, which resulted in 45 deaths, global outrage over this operation has increased. Israel claims it targeted two senior officials of the extremist group Hamas in the camp and did not intend to harm civilians. However, world leaders have expressed horror at images of burning Palestinian refugee tents resulting from the attack. Matthew Miller stressed that Israel should not attack areas designated as shelters for Palestinians, to which they have been instructed to go, although Israel claims this did not happen. The U.S. State Department spokesperson said, 'We are deeply saddened by this tragic deadly incident in Rafah that occurred over the weekend.' President Biden reiterated the need to protect civilians following the Israeli airstrike on Rafah. He added, 'Israel has the right to pursue Hamas terrorists who have blood on their hands, and it seems to me that this has been Israel's goal so far, and Hamas should not hide behind civilians. However, Israel also has the obligation to do everything possible to minimize harm to civilians during its operations.' Matthew Miller finally stated that humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza continues to face many challenges. Before the Israeli military assault, Rafah was one of the main entry points for humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, a city adjacent to Egypt that has become the main refuge for Palestinian refugees. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) announced on Tuesday that since May 6 and the beginning of Israel's ground military invasion of Rafah, more than one million Palestinians have fled. Juliette Touma, UNRWA spokesperson, stated at a press conference that the northern areas of Rafah, where the main offices of the UN and UNRWA are located, have been heavily bombarded at night. She noted, 'People are completely terrified. Many are fleeing to Al-Waasi and also to central Gaza areas, including Deir al-Balah.' She also added that over the past three weeks, more than 200 trucks carrying humanitarian aid have delivered their loads to needy people, but this is merely like 'a drop in the ocean.' The UN has repeatedly warned of severe famine in the Gaza Strip and the increasing human toll in the region. According to statistics from the Gaza Health Ministry, which is controlled by Hamas, more than 36,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli assault on Gaza.