Abbas appeals to US to stop Israel's Rafah offensive
By George Wright
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says the US is the only country that can stop Israel from attacking Rafah, the southern Gaza city where more than a million people are taking refuge.
Mr Abbas, who runs parts of the occupied West Bank, said any attack could see Palestinians flee Gaza.
On Saturday Israel’s foreign minister said Israel could suspend the incursion if there was a hostage deal.
“The release of the hostages is the top priority for us,” Israel Katz said.
Long-running talks mediated by Egypt and Qatar have largely stalled because of the gaps between the Israeli and Hamas positions, but on Sunday Hamas said it would send representatives to Cairo to give a response to the latest proposal.
Hamas wants a permanent end to the war and withdrawal of all Israeli troops from Gaza, while Israel insists Hamas must be destroyed in Gaza and all hostages freed.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in the Saudi capital Riyadh, Mr Abbas – whose Palestinian Authority is not present in Gaza, which has been under Hamas rule since 2007 – urged the US to intervene.
“What will happen in the coming few days is what Israel will do with attacking Rafah because all the Palestinians from Gaza are gathered there,” he said.
