1 million Palestinians leave Rafah: UNRWA
Last Updated on June 4, 2024 9:34 am
More than 1 million Palestinians have been forced to flee the southern Gaza city of Rafah due to Israeli military operations. The United Nations Palestine Refugee Agency (UNRWA) said this in a statement on Monday.
Since May this year, the Israeli military has launched an offensive in Rafah to eliminate Hamas fighters and destroy their infrastructure. As a result, the Israeli military ordered civilians in Rafah to move to an “expanded humanitarian zone” about 20 kilometers (12 miles) away. Reuters.
Thousands of families are now sheltering in damaged buildings and rubble in Khan Yunis city, UNRWA said. They are providing essential services despite ‘increasing challenges’. But many Palestinians complain that wherever they go, there is a risk of Israeli attack. Egypt has said that it is not possible to send relief through the Rafah border due to this ongoing attack by Israel.
If Israel does not withdraw its troops and control from the Gaza section of the Rafah border crossing, the country has said that it will not be possible to reopen the route for the delivery of this aid. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said this on Monday. At a press conference with Spain’s foreign minister in Madrid, Shoukry said it would be difficult to manage the Rafah crossing without the Palestinian Authority.
He said, the 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty still serves as a solid foundation for the security and stability of the Middle East. Everyone should take responsible action to uphold this important agreement. Meanwhile, a ban has been imposed on the entry of Israeli citizens to the South Asian island nation of Maldives. However, it has not been announced when this ban will come into effect.
This step was taken by the country’s president Mohamed Muijzu to protest the Israeli aggression and massacre in Gaza. The spokesperson of his office said that President Mohamed Muijju has promised to impose a ban on Israeli passports. He has taken steps to raise funds for Palestinian victims of Israeli aggression. Meanwhile, after the announcement of this ban, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the citizens of the country to leave the Maldives as soon as possible.
Advising you to leave the country, the Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson said, “If you are in any danger in the Maldives, it will be difficult for us to help you.” According to the Maldives government, a total of 528 Israeli citizens traveled to the Maldives in the first four months of this year, which was 4,644 during the same period in 2023. In addition to the Maldives, there is currently a ban on Israeli passport holders from Algeria, Bangladesh, Brunei, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Yemen.
On the other hand, UN experts have called on all countries to recognize Palestine. A group of UN experts has called on all countries to recognize the state of Palestine to ensure peace in the Middle East. According to them, the only way to peace and security between Palestine and Israel is an internationally agreed and two-state solution.