UNITED NATIONS, April 30. /TASS/. A military operation in Rafah, if Israel ventures it, will be a most dangerous escalation of the Middle East conflict, which will entail serious consequences for the entire region, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said.

"A military assault on Rafah would be an unbearable escalation, killing thousands more civilians and forcing hundreds of thousands to flee," he told journalists. "It would have a devastating impact on Palestinians in Gaza, with serious repercussions on the occupied West Bank, and across the wider region."

"I appeal for all those with influence over Israel to do everything in their power to prevent it," he stressed.

He recalled that more than 1.2 million people are seeking shelter in Rafah, "most of them fleeing the Israeli bombardment." "They have very little to eat, hardly any access to medical care, little shelter, and nowhere safe to go," he added.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said earlier that Israel will conduct an operation in Rafah in any event.