Abbas says only the US can stop Israel's Rafah assault

Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian President, emphasizes that the US holds the key to preventing Israel from launching attacks on Rafah, a city in southern Gaza where over a million people have sought refuge.

“We call on the United States of America to ask Israel to not carry on the Rafah attack. America is the only country able to prevent Israel from committing this crime,” Abbas told a special meeting of the World Economic Forum in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

Israel, which has been threatening a comprehensive assault on the city to eliminate Hamas forces, escalated airstrikes on Rafah recently.

Abbas reaffirmed his opposition to the displacement of Palestinians into Jordan and Egypt, expressing concern that Israel might subsequently target West Bank Palestinians for forced relocation to Jordan.

Hamas seeks a permanent cessation of hostilities and the withdrawal of all Israeli troops from Gaza, while Israel insists on the destruction of Hamas in Gaza and the release of all hostages.