Borrell Criticizes Rafah Operation: Pressures Relations Between Europe and Israel

As Israel confirms that its "military operations," as it describes them, in the city of Rafah in the southernmost part of the Gaza Strip are ongoing, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, has warned that this poses a threat to relations between the two sides. He emphasized that "Israel's continuation of its military operation in Rafah will place significant pressure on its relations with the Union." In a statement on Wednesday, he urged Tel Aviv to immediately halt its military operations in the densely populated city of displaced persons, stressing that this operation further hampers the distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza and leads to increased internal displacement, risk of famine, and exacerbation of humanitarian suffering. Additionally, he called on the Israeli side to refrain from worsening the already dire humanitarian situation in the Strip and to reopen the Rafah crossing. He stated, "If Israel continues its military operations in Rafah, it will inevitably place severe pressure on the EU's relationship with Israel."