The Australian, New Zealand, and Canadian prime ministers have taken the extraordinary step of issuing a joint press release expressing their united concerns over Israel’s planned military operation in Rafah.
A ground assault by the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) is planned on Gaza’s southernmost city intended to free Istaeli national hostages held by Hamas, and to flush out militants.
The operation has been given the green light by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after months of aerial bombardments on the city.
Millions of Palestinians have been displaced by the Israel-Hamas conflict that started on Oct. 7, and an estimated 1.4 million people have been held up in Rafah which borders Egypt.
The probability of Palestinian refugees pouring into the Sinai Peninsula as a result of IDF military activity is of concern to Egypt, as it could potentially breach a 1978 peace treaty.
Prime Ministers Anthony Albanese, Christopher Luxon, and Justin Trudeau on Feb. 15, issued a joint statement that warned catastrophic consequences lay in wait for Palestinians taking refuge in the area.
“With the humanitarian situation in Gaza already dire, the impacts on Palestinian civilians from an expanded military operation would be devastating. We urge the Israeli government not to go down this path. There is simply nowhere else for civilians to go,” they said in the statement.
“There is growing international consensus. Israel must listen to its friends and it must listen to the international community. The protection of civilians is paramount and a requirement under international humanitarian law. Palestinian civilians cannot be made to pay the price of defeating Hamas.
“An immediate humanitarian ceasefire is urgently needed. Hostages must be released. The need for humanitarian assistance in Gaza has never been greater. Rapid, safe, and unimpeded humanitarian relief must be provided to civilians.
The International Court of Justice has been clear: Israel must ensure the delivery of basic services and essential humanitarian assistance and must protect civilians. The Court’s decisions on provisional measures are binding.”
They said a ceasefire could not be one-sided and that Hamas also needed to lay down its arms and release all hostages.
“We again unequivocally condemn Hamas for its terror attacks on Israel on October 7,” they said.
‘'A negotiated political solution is needed to achieve lasting peace and security. Australia, Canada, and New Zealand remain steadfast in their commitment to a two-state solution, including the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel, where Palestinians and Israelis live side by side in peace, security, and dignity.”
The statement echoed condemnation of the planned invasion by other world leaders which included the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, who said on X that an invasion of Rafah would lead to an “unspeakable humanitarian catastrophe and grave tensions with Egypt.”
Perhaps surprisingly, Israel’s main backer the United States also warned against the plan.
Mr. Netanyahu did not indicate where he expected the displaced people to flee before the assault, and did not provide any indication of when a ground attack would take place.
According to Al Jazeera, at least 25 Palestinian nationals were killed overnight (Tuesday) in Rafah after the IDF increased the number of targeted airstrikes and shelling from tanks over the past week. Sources report over 28,000 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict started in October.
