26 EU countries warn Israel against ‘catastrophic’ Rafah offensive

20/2/2024 7:13

        The European Union on Monday warned Israel against launching an offensive in Rafah that the bloc's foreign ministers said would create a disaster for the roughly 1.5 million refugees crammed into the city on the southern edge of Gaza.
        
        "An attack on Rafah would be absolutely catastrophic ... it would be unconscionable," Ireland's Foreign Minister Micheal Martin said before a meeting with foreign ministers from the 27 EU member states in Brussels.
        
        After the talks ended, the bloc's top diplomat Josep Borrell said 26 of the EU's 27 countries agreed to a statement warning against any attack on Rafah and calling for "an immediate humanitarian pause that would lead to a sustainable ceasefire, to the unconditional release of hostages, and to the provision of humanitarian assistance."
        
        Borrell did not name the country that did not agree to the text but diplomats said Hungary blocked a similar statement a few days ago.