Germany's Scholz: Rafah assault would make regional peace 'very difficult'

The large number of civilian casualties that would result from an Israeli assault on the Gaza city of Rafah would make regional peace "very difficult", German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Sunday after talks with Jordanian King Abdullah.

This is one of the main arguments he will bring to talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later on Sunday during his whirlwind trip to the region, he said.

The hastily arranged talks come after Israel on Friday approved a plan to attack the city on the southern edge of the shattered Palestinian enclave where more than half of its 2.3 million residents are sheltering after five months of war.

"Right now, it is about ensuring we come to a long-lasting ceasefire," Scholz said after talks with Abdullah at his private residence in the Jordanian Red Sea port of Aqaba.

"That would enable us to prevent such a ground offensive from taking place."

Asked if he was prepared to exert pressure on Netanyahu to stop such an assault, Scholz said it was "very clear we must do everything so the situation does not get worse than it already is."

"Israel has every right to protect itself .. At the same time, it cannot be that those in Gaza who fled to Rafah are directly threatened by whatever military actions and operations are undertaken there."



Reuters