Pressure on Netanyahu over Rafah offensive

Israel is facing growing international pressure over its intention to launch an all-out military assault on the city of Rafah, in southern Gaza, in the wake of a ferocious hostage rescue operation that killed dozens of Palestinians.

- Emine Sinmaz, Harriet Sherwood , Ashifa Kassam

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, yesterday congratulated the soldiers who mounted the dramatic rescue of two Israeli hostages in the city, where 1.4 million Palestinians are sheltering, describing it as a “perfect operation”. The Israeli military launched airstrikes on nearby buildings to support the rescue, killing at least 67 Palestinians. Hamas later claimed that other Israeli hostages had also died in the bombardment.

Josep Borrell , the EU foreign policy chief, furiously rounded on the Israeli leader amid increasing international alarm at the ever-rising death toll in  Gaza – which reached 28,340 yesterday – saying Netanyahu “doesn’t listen to anyone”.

Responding to Netanyahu’s statement that refugees in Rafah would be evacuated before a major military off ensive, Borrell said: “Where? To the moon? Where are they going to evacuate these people to?”

Borrell’s sentiments were echoed in more diplomatic language by David Cameron, the UK foreign secretary, who said: “It really, we think, is impossible to see how you can fi ght a war amongst these people . There is nowhere for them to go. They can’t go south into Egypt, they can’t go north and back to their homes because many have been destroyed.