MOSCOW, April 28. /TASS/. Israel is preparing a large-scale military operation in the city of Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip, Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), told TASS in an exclusive interview.
"My fear right now is what the Israeli army is planning to do, whether there is military assistance [to Israel from the US] or not. It seems there is a preparation for possible large-scale military intervention in Rafah," he said.
"We are all extremely worried about the likelihood of an offensive in Rafah. There is more than 1.45 million displaced people already concentrated in the south," Lazzarini pointed out. "Such an operation would take place in the middle of the human sea. We believe, but not only us, the international community and all the member states have indicated that this offensive should not take place, that different avenues should be explored instead of creating an additional layer of tragedy in what is already a human tragedy unfolding under our eyes," the UNRWA chief said.
The idea that a ground operation could begin at Rafah is "very worrisome," he said. "People are very anxious because they have no idea where to go," he added, noting that there is no safe place in Gaza for people to evacuate.
"There is no doubt that if such an offensive goes, we will have additional thousands of people killed," the UNRWA chief underscored. "And I don't understand how after such a huge number the outrage of the international community has not yet succeeded to put an end to this killing, to this slaughter. And I don't understand why this has not yet led to a ceasefire," he said.
"I believe the ceasefire could save thousands of lives. And the absence of ceasefire will mean more people killed," he concluded.