Earlier this month, Israel initiated its military offensive in and around the city of Rafah as part of its invasion of the Gaza Strip upon its genocidal onslaught. 

Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani discussed regional and global developments with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunak, with a focus on the war on Gaza.

Addressing matters in a phone call on Monday, the two officials voiced their concerns as countless Palestinians have been forced to flee from across Gaza, including Jabalia, Beit Lahiya, and Rafah. 

Sunak thanked Qatar for its ongoing efforts to negotiate a captives deal, according to a statement by the British PM’s office.

“Both leaders agreed on the importance of a deal that secures the urgent release of hostages […] and getting more aid into Gaza while progressing towards a sustainable and permanent ceasefire,” the statement said.

“The [British] Prime Minister shared his deep concern about the humanitarian impact of a full military incursion of Rafah, and updated the Amir on the UK’s support to ensure more humanitarian aid was flowing into Gaza via land, sea and air,” the statement added.

Sunak also praised Qatar’s recent work to support those in Ukraine “who continue to face the devastating consequences of Russian aggression, including its efforts to reunite Ukrainian children with their families”, the statement said.

According to reports by the United Nations (UN), at least 360,000 Palestinians have fled Rafah, a city in the southern Gaza Strip. 

On Monday, Israeli forces fired on a car in Rafah, killing the first foreign staff member of the UN in Gaza, where more than 190 Palestinian UN staff have been killed since 7 October.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned all aggression on United Nations personnel and called for a full investigation into the killing of a staff member in the enclaved strip.

Upon the invasion of Rafah on May 6th, where at least 600,000 children reside, Qatar condemned the raid, calling for “urgent international action to prevent the invasion” and genocide in Rafah, as well as the protection of civilians under international and humanitarian law.

“Qatar condemns in the strongest terms the bombing by the Israeli occupation forces that targeted the municipality of Rafah, its invasion of the land crossing and the threat to displace citizens from shelters and housing centres,” Doha’s foreign ministry said in a statement following the raid. 

Online footage revealed Israeli tanks entering the crossing and destroying the Gaza welcome sign while replacing the Palestinian flag with Israel’s.

The Israeli military said that they launched “operational control of the Gazan side of the crossing following intelligence that the Rafah Crossing in eastern Rafah was being used for terrorist purposes.”

Rafah is densely populated with at least 1.4 million people, more than half of Gaza’s population, who have been sheltering in the city. 

Most of the people in Rafah were initially ordered by the Israeli military to evacuate the north in October of last year. 

All aid entry and evacuation efforts have been stopped due to the Israeli invasion.