Akhbar Alyoom- Translated by: Lana Al-Dweik-  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that his army will provide a "safe passage" for civilians before the awaited attack on Rafah in the Gaza Strip.
In an interview with an American channel broadcasted on Sunday, Netanyahu added, “Victory is within reach, we will take the remaining Hamaas terrorist battalions in Rafah, which is the last bastion.”
“We're going to do it while providing safe passage for the civilians so they can leave, and we are working out a detailed plan to do so, we take this seriously" he added.
Rafah's northern sectors "have been cleared and can be used as safe zones for civilians" according to Netanyahu. He responded to concerned critics regarding the fate of civilians in the event of an attack on Rafah, saying: "Those who say that we should not enter Rafah at all are telling us that we should lose the war and leave Hamaas there."
Concerns about Israel ground-attacking Rafah persist.
The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, warned over the potential Israeli army strike on Rafah, calling it an "indescribable humanitarian catastrophe." Meanwhile, the Saudi Foreign Ministry has cautioned against the “extremely dangerous repercussions” of Israel attacking and targeting the city of Rafah. In addition, both the UN and the US have expressed their concerns about the situation in Rafah.
In response, Hamaas warned on Saturday about a possible "international massacre" in Rafah, which has become the last refuge for over a million displaced Palestinians in the southern Gaza Strip.