Indonesia Condemns Israel's Rafah Offensive

Indonesia on Tuesday condemned Israeli military attacks in the Palestinian city of Rafah and its control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing.

The Israeli military said it began an overnight "precise counterterrorism operation" within specific areas of eastern Rafah, a day after it asked residents to evacuate to Al-Mawasi area.

Troops also managed to establish "operational control" of the Gazan side of the border crossing, it added.

"Any attempt at forced transfer or displacement of Palestinians, including from Rafah are unacceptable as it amounts to an ultimate crime against humanity," the Indonesia Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Jakarta reiterated its call for an "immediate and permanent" cease-fire in Gaza, and removing all impediments in the delivery of humanitarian assistance.

The international community, particularly the UN Security Council, must stop Israel's "brutal atrocities" immediately and prevent any further humanitarian catastrophe, it added.

The move came even as Hamas said accepted an Egyptian-Qatari mediated cease-fire proposal. Israel, however, said the deal did not meet its core demands.

Rafah is home to more than 1.4 million displaced Palestinians who have taken refuge from the war launched by Israel following the Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas that killed nearly 1,200 people.

Since then, the Israeli onslaught has killed more than 34,700 Palestinians, mostly women and children, besides causing hunger, disease and reducing the enclave to a rubble. -