13 countries call on Israel not to launch a full-scale attack on Rafah

On May 17, the foreign ministers of 13 countries sent an appeal to their Israeli counterpart, Israel Katz, urging the country not to launch a large-scale attack on Rafah in the Gaza Strip.

Countries signing the appeal include Australia, Britain, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and European Union (EU) member states Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Sweden.

The appeal reads: "We reaffirm our opposition to a full-scale military operation in Rafah that could have catastrophic consequences for the civilian population."

Foreign ministers welcomed recent measures taken by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet to improve the flow of international aid into Gaza, but called for further measures.

The foreign ministers of these countries called on the Government of Israel to allow humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip through all relevant crossings, including the crossing at Rafah, as well as to open all land supply routes for relief goods, restore electricity, water and telecommunications services and significantly increase the supply of essential goods, especially medicines.

The foreign ministers also called for a lasting ceasefire.

Eight months after the war broke out, Israel has vowed to press ahead with its ground offensive in Rafah despite international concern over the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced from their homes in the southern city.

Israel's siege of Gaza has caused severe shortages of food, clean water, medicine and fuel for the 2.4 million Palestinians.

Relief operations have been badly delayed since Israeli forces last week took control of the Rafah border crossing on the Gaza side.