SYDNEY – Three long-time supporters of Israel and key US allies have issued a joint statement warning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against a planned offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, as international calls for a ceasefire mount.

Canada, Australia and New Zealand said on Feb 15 that they were “gravely concerned” about a potential operation by the Israel Defence Forces in Rafah, adding that the impact on civilians would be “devastating”.

More than one million people have fled to the southern Gaza city on the border with Egypt to seek refuge from Israel’s war against Hamas.

The United States, the European Union and Arab states have voiced strong criticism of the potential offensive.

Israel appears intent on pushing forward as it tries to destroy Hamas, designated a terrorist organisation by the US and European Union.

Israeli officials say Rafah is key to their operations in Gaza because it still harbours Hamas fighters. They have said they will allow civilians to leave the city before any assault.

“We urge the Israeli government not to go down this path,” the three nations said, calling instead for a sustainable ceasefire. “There is simply nowhere else for civilians to go.”

The statement was signed by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.

It comes a few days after US President Joe Biden urged Mr Netanyahu to not go ahead with a military operation in Rafah without a “credible and executable plan” to shield civilians.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong told a Senate hearing in Canberra earlier on Feb 15 that any Israeli operation in Rafah was “unjustifiable”.

She said Australia’s message to Israel is: “Listen to the world. Do not go down this path.”

German Foreign minister Annalena Baerbock arrived in Israel on Feb 14 to tell officials, including Mr Netanyahu, that an offensive in Rafah could create a humanitarian disaster.

“I have repeated here that people cannot simply vanish into thin air,” she said to German broadcaster ZDF on Feb 14.

“Protective corridors are needed; safe places are needed where all these people can find refuge after they have left northern Gaza at the request of the Israeli army. We talked about this intensively today.”

Israel has yet to say when it plans to move into Rafah – although it has already launched some air strikes on the city, killing dozens of people – or when it will open a safe corridor for people to exit.

The war in Gaza erupted when Hamas attacked southern Israel from Gaza on Oct 7, killing 1,200 people.

More than 28,000 have been killed by Israel’s retaliatory air and ground assault in Gaza, according to health officials in the Hamas-run territory.

Hamas abducted around 250 people during its incursion.

Roughly 100 were freed during a week-long truce that ended on Dec 1 and another two were freed on Feb 12 by Israeli special forces.

The Israeli military has said that of the roughly 135 captives still in Gaza, 31 are dead.

Mediators, including Qatar, Egypt and the US, are holding peace talks in Cairo this week to try to achieve a ceasefire in return for the release of some of the hostages.

But Mr Netanyahu pulled out of follow-up talks scheduled for Feb 15, indicating that a deal is far from imminent. BLOOMBERG