In a special meeting of the World Economic Forum in Riyadh, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called on the United States to take action and prevent Israel from launching an imminent assault on the border city of Rafah in Gaza. Abbas warned that such an attack, expected within the next few days, could force a mass exodus of the Palestinian population from the enclave.

Abbas emphasized the crucial role that the United States could play in halting Israel's planned offensive. He stated, "We call on the United States of America to ask Israel to not carry out the Rafah attack. America is the only country able to prevent Israel from committing this crime."

Israel has been threatening to launch a full-scale assault on Rafah for weeks, with the aim of eradicating the remaining battalions of Hamas in the area. Last week, Israeli airstrikes on Rafah were intensified. Western nations, including the United States, have implored Israel to refrain from attacking the southern city, which currently provides refuge for over a million Palestinians who fled the extensive Israeli offensive in the rest of Gaza.

Abbas warned that even a limited strike on Rafah would trigger a mass exodus of the Palestinian population from Gaza, describing it as "the biggest catastrophe in the Palestinian people's history." The President dismissed the idea of displacement to neighboring Jordan and Egypt and expressed concerns that once Israel completes its operations in Gaza, it might attempt to force the Palestinian population out of the occupied West Bank and into Jordan.

Al Jazeera correspondent Zein Basravi, reporting from Ramallah, highlighted the significance of Abbas's remarks, noting that it was the first time a senior leader in the Palestinian Authority had made such a statement. However, Basravi added that many Palestinians feel that their leader's response was delayed and insufficient. He stated, "The reaction to Abbas's remarks on the Palestinian streets is likely to mirror a broader political response. The people we have been speaking to say that what they see is a speech from their leader, far too late and far too weak."

Israel launched its offensive in Gaza in response to an attack by Hamas on southern Israel on October 7. According to Israeli reports, 1,139 people were killed and 253 taken captive during this incident. The Gaza health ministry claims that over 34,400 Palestinians have been killed since then, with a significant portion of the population now displaced. The residents of Rafah, already sheltering hundreds of thousands of people, find themselves with nowhere else to flee, as previous Israeli offensives have already devastated large portions of Gaza's urban landscape.

In light of the imminent threat, United Nations officials and human rights groups have issued warnings, stating that an attack on Rafah will have catastrophic consequences. The international community is now closely watching to see if the United States will demonstrate its ability to prevent the impending assault and alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian population in Gaza.