Britain's FM rejects Rafah offensive without plan to save lives

LONDON: Britain’s foreign minister David Cameron on Sunday said Israel should not carry out an offensive in the Gazan city of Rafah without a “clear plan” to protect people.

“For there to be a major offensive in Rafah, there would have to be an absolutely clear plan about how you save lives, how you move people out the way, how you make sure they’re fed, you make sure that they have medicine and shelter and everything,” he told Sky News television.

“We have seen no such plan … so we don’t support an offensive in that way,” he added.

Israel launched more strikes on Hamas in Gaza on Sunday after it expanded an evacuation order for eastern Rafah. It said 300,000 people had fled the city in the Palestinian territory since the army urged people to leave.

Israeli troops defied widespread international opposition this week to enter eastern areas of the city, effectively shutting a key aid crossing and suspending traffic through another.

Cameron said Israel needed to “do better” on allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza.

“I’ve said many times that I’m not content with the action Israel has taken over humanitarian aid,” he said, adding there are “some signs” of improvement, “but not fast enough”.