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ISRAEL | HAMAS WAR - A United Nations expert on Wednesday expressed her disgust with what Israel is doing during its assault on Gaza.
Paula Gaviria Betancur, U.N. special rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, specifically focused on the Israeli government's evacuation orders for Rafah.
"I am appalled to hear that Israel intends to extend these orders to Rafah, the only semblance of refuge for nearly 70% of Gaza's surviving population and the only functional entry point for humanitarian aid, should Israel's demands in negotiations not be met by the unilaterally imposed deadline of 10 March," Betancur said.
"Although Rafah has already come under periodic attack by Israeli forces, a full-scale ground assault would lead to unimaginable suffering. Any evacuation order imposed on Rafah under the current conditions, with the rest of Gaza lying in ruins, would be in flagrant violation of international humanitarian and human rights law, forcing people to flee to conditions of certain death—deprived of food, water, healthcare, and shelter," she added.
Betancur also condemned the Flour Massacre, saying she was "horrified by the depravity of killing civilians while they are at their most vulnerable and seeking basic assistance."
Israel has bombed many homes and mosques in Rafah, and the region is facing a severe food shortage. Some Democrats in Congress have said that an invasion of Rafah would "likely" violate U.S. President Joe Biden's requirement that military aid be conditioned on Israel adhering to international law.
A leaked U.S. cable obtained by The Intercept recently outlined how the looming invasion of Rafah would be devastating for the region.
"A potential escalation of military operations within Southern Gaza's Rafah Governorate could result in catastrophic humanitarian consequences, including mass civilian casualties, extensive population displacement, and the collapse of the existing humanitarian response," the cable reads, citing relief actors' warnings to the U.S. Agency for International Development's Levant Disaster Assistance Response Team.
Betancur is adamant that there is only one solution to the worsening humanitarian disaster in Gaza.
"An immediate and permanent cease-fire, coupled with meaningful measures to document and ensure accountability for atrocities as well as secure the fundamental rights of Palestinians in Gaza, is the only path forward for the sake of our shared humanity," Betancur said.
(Thor Benson is a staff writer for Common Dreams where this article was featured first.)
