G7 opposes 'full scale military operation in Rafah'

Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven nations said Friday they opposed a "full-scale military operation in Rafah" by Israel as that would have "catastrophic consequences on the civilian population".

Ministers from Italy, the UK, US, France, Germany, Japan, and Canada also slammed the "unacceptable number of civilians" killed in Gaza during Israel's military offensive.

The war started after Hamas launched its unprecedented attack on October 7 that resulted in the deaths of 1,170 people in southern Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 33,970 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.

Israel has vowed to send troops into Gaza's overcrowded Rafah area in its war against Hamas.

"We reiterate our opposition to a full-scale military operation in Rafah that would have catastrophic consequences on the civilian population," the ministers said in a statement.

Israel has faced growing global opposition to the relentless war that has reduced much of Gaza to rubble, while its 2.4 million people have suffered under an Israeli siege.

"We deplore all losses of civilian lives," G7 ministers said at the meeting on Italy's island of Capri.

They said they "note with great concern the unacceptable number of civilians, including thousands of women, children and persons in vulnerable situations who have been killed in Gaza".