Iran urges UN to prevent possible Israeli offensive on Gaza
Tehran, Feb 20 (IANS) – Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has called on the United Nations to prevent a possible major Israeli offensive on the city of Rafah in southern Gaza. In a letter addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Amir-Abdollahian emphasized that an all-out offensive on the city would have devastating consequences for the 1.5 million Palestinian civilians already on the edge of survival.
Amir-Abdollahian stated, “As you rightly said recently, an all-out offensive on the city would be devastating for the 1.5 million Palestinian civilians there who are already on the edge of survival.” He emphasized that the international community cannot let such “carnage” happen and highlighted that any military offensive on Rafah would qualify as another phase in the Israeli genocide of the Palestinian nation.
The Iranian Foreign Minister stressed the importance of the UN fulfilling its responsibilities and averted further “mass atrocities” against the Palestinians, who had taken refuge in Rafah. This plea comes after Israel has signaled an intention to conduct a ground operation in Rafah to “eliminate” Hamas and rescue Israeli captives. The recent raid on Rafah by the Israeli army and special forces resulted in the rescue of two captives held by Hamas since last October.
The UN Security Council plans to vote on a draft resolution requested by Algeria, which would demand an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. Israel has been fighting with Hamas in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, after the group launched a surprise attack on southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people. Israel has so far killed more than 29,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza-based Health Ministry.
The call from Iran to prevent a possible Israeli offensive on Gaza adds to the already tense situation in the region. As the UN Security Council plans to address the demands for a ceasefire, the international community will be closely monitoring the developments in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
–IANS
int/khz
