Peters urges Israel not to begin Rafah ground offensive
Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has echoed the sentiments of the prime minister and again urged Israel not to begin a ground offensive into Rafah.
Rafah is city in southern Gaza which has come under heavy Israeli air strikes in recent days.
More than half of the Gaza Strip's population of 2.3 million is now crammed into the city on the border with Egypt, which was home to only 250,000 people before the war between Israel and Hamas erupted in October.
Peters, posting on X, said New Zealand remained "extremely concerned", and as part of the overwhelming international consensus is urging Israel to stop.
"New Zealand remains extremely concerned by indications that Israel is planning a ground offensive into Rafah," he said.
"We, as part of an overwhelming consensus of the international community, urge Israel not to undertake such action.
"NZ took careful note of the ICJ's provisional decision on 26 Jan requiring Israel to comply with its obligations under the Genocide Convention.
"We also note South Africa's urgent request for the Court to consider additional provisional measures.
"NZ's consistent position is all of the Court's decisions, incl on provisional measures, are binding. We expect them to be adhered to.
"NZ believes protection of civilians is paramount. We repeat: the humanitarian consequences of an offensive in Rafah would be appalling."
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week announced he had ordered troops to prepare to expand its ground operation to Rafah. He vowed to defeat Hamas gunmen hiding in the city.
US President Joe Biden has said an Israeli offensive in Rafah "should not proceed without a credible plan for ensuring the safety" of more than one million Palestinians sheltering there.
More than four months on from the start of hostilities, much of the densely-populated strip of land on the Mediterranean is in ruins, with 28,340 Palestinians dead and 67,984 wounded, according to Gaza health officials, with many others believed to be buried under rubble.
- RNZ, with context from BBC and Reuters