Israel's possible attack on Rafah would cause 'massacre,' warns UN rapporteur

GENEVA

UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine Francesca Albanese warned that Israel's possible attack on the southern Gaza city of Rafah would be an "attack on the civilian population" and a "massacre."

Talking to Anadolu about the latest situation in Gaza, which has been under intense Israeli attacks since Oct. 7, 2023, Albanese warned of infectious diseases in Gaza due to the increase in temperature, adding that people, especially children, are dying due to malnutrition.

Underlining that there are no antibiotics, painkillers, disinfectants, doctors and medical personnel in the region, she said: "The death toll keeps rising not only because of bombs but also because of the lack of health facilities."

Pointing out the humanitarian, legal, political and humanitarian aspects of the looming attack on Rafah, Albanese said this is not a military struggle, but an attack on the civilian population.

“From a legal point of view, there is no justification whatsoever to continue this operation. There should be a cease-fire,” she added.

As the occupying power, the rapporteur said, Israel has failed to fulfill its "obligation to provide adequate access to relief the humanitarian needs" under international humanitarian law.

"It's also preventing others from doing so. When these convoys enter with a huge delay, they're also targeted," she added.

Albanese said an attack on Rafah, where Palestinians are living under dire conditions, would be a "massacre."

Delay in judicial process detrimental to reputation of ICC

Albanese described Israel's non-compliance with the injunctions in the genocide case against it at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) as a "challenge".

On Türkiye's involvement in the case, she said: "I think it's very important that as many states as possible join these proceedings. It's not going to change the legal rating of the court but it's going to create awareness on the conditions for the court’s final decision to be enforced."

Albanese said it is "absolutely necessary" that the International Criminal Court (ICC) issues a possible arrest warrant against Israeli officials for their attacks on the Gaza Strip.

Noting that gross violations of international humanitarian law had already occurred before Oct. 7, 2023, the rapporteur described as technically "overdue" the fact that the ICC has not yet issued a decision in the case investigating Israeli war crimes committed since 2021. "This delay is detrimental to the reputation and the legitimacy of the court."

Targeting of journalists in Gaza ‘shocking’

Stating that journalists are "independent voices" and are fully protected under international law, Albanese described the targeting of journalists in Gaza as "shocking" and expressed sorrow over the death of an Anadolu employee Montaser al-Sawaf in the Israeli attacks.

Commenting on Anadolu's book and documentary The Evidence, which exposes Israel's massacre in Gaza, Albanese said: "I think that it's important to investigate in the Palestinian territories where there are conflicting narratives."

Pointing out the violations of international law in Gaza, Albanese said that their duty as independent experts is to speak out.

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip in retaliation for a cross-border attack on Oct. 7 last year by Hamas, which killed about 1,200 people. Nearly 34,700 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, the vast majority of whom have been women and children, and 78,000 others injured, according to Palestinian health authorities.

Nearly seven months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins, pushing 85% of the enclave’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January said it is "plausible" that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza and ordered Tel Aviv to stop such acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians there.

*Writing by Muhammed Yasin Gungor in Istanbul