Palestinian official: Rafah under threat of occupation

Minister al-Maliki spoke at a joint press conference held in Berlin, the capital of Germany, with his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock.

"The city of Rafah, like other cities and camps, is under threat of destruction and occupation - attack, with 1.5 million Palestinians under siege in the city," al-Maliki said.

Regarding Israel's planned ground offensive on Rafah, al-Maliki stated, "If Israel has the intention of a ground offensive, it appears insistent on attacking Rafah. What is expected of all of us is how we will protect civilians, how we will open security corridors for their exit, and how we will guarantee that their passage is safe and that they will not be attacked."

"GAZA IS TURNING INTO A ZONE OF DISEASE AND DISASTER"

Calling for urgent aid for the Gaza Strip, al-Maliki said, "Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are being killed not only by bullets and bombs but also by hunger and disease. Gaza is turning into a zone of disease and disaster, and it requires urgent international intervention."

Stating that they are working to ensure the occupied West Bank does not turn into a "second Gaza" in terms of destruction, al-Maliki emphasized that illegal Jewish settlers and the violence they perpetrate must be stopped to provide protection for civilians.

Al-Maliki said that Israel's focus of its attacks on refugee camps is an indication that Palestinian refugees, wherever they are, are being openly targeted by the Israeli state and army.

Explaining that the Palestinian administration is working on four tracks, al-Maliki said, "The first is a ceasefire or humanitarian truce to provide services to the people of Gaza. Qatar, the US, and Egypt are making efforts to reach an agreement. The meeting to be held in Egypt tomorrow is a continuation of the proposal made at the Paris meeting and is welcomed. Israel's participation is required to reach a consensus."

Noting that the second track is reform within the Palestinian government, which has begun and is ongoing, al-Maliki stated, "We need the support and assistance of friendly and brotherly countries for these reforms to take place."

Stating that the third track is reconstruction, which requires international effort, al-Maliki said, "As soon as the war stops, we have begun discussions with the World Bank, our friends, and our brothers to develop a plan and vision to rapidly rebuild (Gaza) and meet the necessary needs."

Al-Maliki assessed, "The fourth is the political track, to have a vision for opening a political horizon after the war. We are making joint efforts with the Arabs, and meetings are being held. It is important for Palestine to be part of the international system."

ISRAEL'S PLAN TO ATTACK THE RAFAH REGION

Israel, which has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians in its attacks and occupation of Gaza, has forced the majority of the population from the northern and central parts of the region to crowd into the city of Rafah on the Egyptian border.

Israel now wants to occupy the southern region by land, which it had declared a "safe zone" for those in the north throughout the attacks, and forcibly displace the population from there.

It is estimated that around 1 million 400 thousand civilians are trapped in Rafah.

The international community is warning Israel that a comprehensive attack on Rafah would cause a new and major tragedy.

In the attacks Israel has carried out on the Gaza Strip since October 7, at least 28 thousand 473 Palestinians, including at least 12 thousand 300 children and 8 thousand 400 women, have been killed, and 68 thousand 146 people have been injured.

While it is reported that there are still thousands of dead under the rubble, civilian infrastructure is also being destroyed by targeting hospitals and educational institutions where the public has taken shelter.