Canberra, May 9 -- Australia has told Israel that a major ground offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah would have a devastating impact.
In a statement posted on social media on Wednesday night, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the federal government had reiterated to Israel its objections to expanded military action in Rafah and its support for a ceasefire deal.
"More than half of Gaza's 2.3 million population are sheltering in Rafah, from the fighting elsewhere," Wong said.
"The impacts on Palestinian civilians from an expanded military operation would be devastating."
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Monday ordered thousands of civilians in eastern Rafah to evacuate ahead of what it called a limited operation t...