Israel Plans Ground Invasion of Rafah Despite International Opposition Amid Ongoing Gaza Conflict

Israel is planning a ground invasion of Rafah in southern Gaza, despite opposition from Egypt and the European Union, amid an ongoing conflict that has killed over 34,400 Palestinians and displaced 85% of Gaza's population since October 2022.

The planned assault on Rafah, where more than half of Gaza's 2.3 million people have sought refuge, has drawn growing international pressure for Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire deal.

In the last 24 hours alone, at least 66 more Palestinians were killed and 138 others injured as Israel continues its onslaught on the Gaza Strip, which is under siege. The Israeli occupation forces have committed seven massacres against families in Gaza, leaving many people trapped under rubble and unable to be reached by rescuers.

Israel's actions have been condemned as genocide by the International Court of Justice, which has ordered Tel Aviv to stop such acts and provide humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza.

Why this matters: The planned Israeli invasion of Rafah threatens to further worsen the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where hospitals, emergency services, and communications are barely functioning. The scale of destruction has made it difficult for Palestinian health authorities to even count all their dead, emphasizing the urgent need for a ceasefire and international intervention.

U.S. President Joe Biden has spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and reiterated his opposition to the invasion, while also stressing the need for progress in delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to visit Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Israel to try to restart truce and hostage release negotiations and discuss efforts to prevent a regional conflict.

Hamas, the militant group, has said it has no major issues with Israel's latest truce proposal, and a delegation from the group is expected to arrive in Cairo on Monday to deliver its response. The Palestinian president has warned that only a small strike on Rafah would force the Palestinian population to flee Gaza, warning that "the biggest catastrophe in the Palestinian people's history would then happen."

The planned Rafah incursion is expected to have a disastrous impact on the existing humanitarian crisis, with the WHO and health partners developing contingency plans to cope with the influx of casualties. Increasing insecurity, destroyed infrastructure, and lack of proper facilitation of humanitarian missions continue to hinder health access, and a sustained deconfliction mechanism is needed to ensure the safe delivery of emergency aid.

The nearly seven-month war in Gaza has taken a devastating toll on the region's residents. Palestinian health authorities state that more than 34,400 people have been killed so far, which is roughly 1.5% of the total pre-war population.

Hospitals, emergency services, and communications are barely functioning, and extracting bodies from the vast number of collapsed buildings is a gargantuan task that is not a priority while the war continues. The Palestinian health authorities can no longer count all their dead due to the scale of destruction.

Key Takeaways

• Israel plans ground invasion of Rafah, Gaza, despite opposition from Egypt, EU.
• Ongoing conflict has killed over 34,400 Palestinians, displaced 85% of Gaza's population.
• U.S. opposes invasion, calls for humanitarian aid; truce negotiations ongoing.
• Planned invasion threatens to worsen Gaza's humanitarian crisis, with hospitals, services barely functioning.
• Palestinian authorities unable to count all dead due to scale of destruction.