'catastrophic Consequences’ In Rafah Due To Israel’s Actions, Power Warns

USAID head Samantha Power warned on Wednesday that Israel’s military operation in southern Gaza is having “catastrophic consequences” despite Biden administration efforts to minimize the negative impacts.

“Despite currently more limited military operations around Rafah and the Egypt/Gaza border, the catastrophic consequences that we have long warned about are becoming a reality,” Power said during a virtual event with governments that aid the humanitarian response in Gaza.

Her comments are one of the harshest assessments yet from the Biden administration of the Rafah operation. Since it began earlier this month, administration officials have repeatedly said Israel’s operation does not cross its red lines because Israel is conducting targeted strikes rather than a major ground operation.

The remarks came as Israeli tanks conducted raids throughout the southern city of Rafah for a second consecutive day on Wednesday, defying a call by the International Court of Justice to stop the offensive. Since Sunday, Israeli attacks appear to have killed dozens of Palestinians sheltering in tent camps in Gaza, causing Washington’s closest allies to call for its military operation to stop for good.

“Our partners … have told us it feels like the war is starting all over again — and conditions are worse now than at any period before, given everything that has happened in the ensuing months,” Power said.

Ninety-five percent of the population in Gaza has not had access to clean water for months, and water-borne diseases and illnesses have skyrocketed, Power said, adding that about 80 percent of Gaza’s health centers are non-operational.