UN General Assembly head 'shocked' by Israel's offensive plan for southern Gaza city of Rafah

The president of the UN General Assembly voiced deep dismay Friday about Israel's planned military offensive into the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah.

"I am shocked & deeply dismayed by the news of an Israeli military offensive into the south of the #Gaza Strip," Dennis Francis, the UN ambassador of Trinidad and Tobago, wrote on X.

His remarks came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the army to develop a dual plan to evacuate civilians from Rafah and to defeat the remaining Hamas battalions.

Francis echoed UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in pleading on behalf of the multitudes of innocent civilians, more than 1 million, taking shelter in the city with nowhere safe to go.

"In the name of humanity, I demand that their plight be heard and heeded.

"I once again reiterate #UN General Assembly's demands for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, compliance with international humanitarian law obligations by all parties, and the unconditional release of all remaining hostages," he added.

Despite the International Court of Justice's provisional ruling, Israel continues its onslaught on the Gaza Strip, where at least 27,947 Palestinians have been killed, including 12,000 children and 8,190 women, and 67,459 injured since Oct. 7, according to Palestinian health authorities.

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas, which Tel Aviv said killed nearly 1,200 people.

The Israeli offensive has left 85% of Gaza's population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure was damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.