WASHINGTON,  Thursday, May 2, 2024 (WAFA) – A number of US Democrats have asked U.S. President Joe Biden's administration on Wednesday to influence Israel not to launch a full-scale invasion of the city of Rafah, where almost half of the Gaza Strip's 2.3 million Palestinian civilians have taken refuge.

57 of the 212 Democrats in the House of Representatives signed a letter calling on Biden's administration to take every possible measure to dissuade Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government from an all-out assault on the said city, south of the Gaza Strip.

"We urge you to invoke existing law and policy to immediately withhold certain offensive military aid to the Israeli government, including aid sourced from legislation already signed into law, in order to preempt a full-scale assault on Rafah," said the letter.

"An Israeli offensive in Rafah risks the start of yet another escalatory spiral, immediately putting the region back on the brink of a broader war that neither Israel nor the United States can afford," the letter added.

"If the Israeli government will not uphold international law and protect civilians, then the United States must act to protect innocent life. We urge you to continue your work toward achieving a lasting ceasefire that will bring hostages home and build a path toward safety and security for all," the letter said.

K.T