Palestinian leader appeals to US to stop Israeli Rafah offensive

Israel has threatened to launch a large-scale attack on the city of Rafah in Gaza, with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas warning that such an assault could lead to the displacement of much of the Palestinian population. The United States, Israel's closest ally, has urged restraint and pleaded with Israel not to carry out the attack. Abbas has specifically appealed to the US to intervene and prevent the attack, stating that it is the only country capable of stopping Israel from committing what he considers a "crime".