RIYADH: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Sunday only the United States could stop Israel from attacking the border city of Rafah in the besieged Gaza Strip. He said that the Israeli attack could force much of the Palestinian population to flee the besieged enclave.
Speaking during a special meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in the Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh, Abbas warned of the catastrophic impact of the potential Israeli attack on the Palestinian population.
Abbas called upon the United States to intervene and urge Israel to refrain from carrying out the assault on Rafah.
Israel’s threats of launching an attack on Rafah have intensified in recent weeks. Reports indicate that Israel has heightened airstrikes on Rafah in the past few days, raising fears of a large-scale military operation.
Palestinian President Warns Against Dire Consequences of Israeli Attack on Gaza
The potential consequences of an attack on Rafah are dire, according to Abbas. He stressed that the city is currently sheltering over a million Palestinians who fled Israel’s previous assault on much of Gaza. Abbas warned that even a “small strike” on Rafah could trigger a mass exodus of the Palestinian population from the enclave, resulting in what he described as “the biggest catastrophe in the Palestinian people’s history.”
Expressing his rejection of the displacement of Palestinians into neighboring countries, Abbas voiced concerns about Israel’s broader intentions. He warned of the possibility that Israel may attempt to forcibly relocate the Palestinian population from the West Bank into Jordan once its operations in Gaza are concluded.
Since October 7, Gaza has witnessed widespread Israeli violence. According to the Gaza health ministry, over 34,500 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed in the territory.
