Palestinian President Abbas says only US can stop Israeli assault on Rafah

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said at a conference in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Sunday that only the United States could stop Israel attacking the border city of Rafah in Gaza, adding he expected an assault in the next days.

Israel launched its offensive in Gaza after Hamas led an attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7 in which Israel said 1,200 people were killed and 253 taken hostage. More than 34,000 Palestinians have since been killed, according to the Gaza health ministry, and most of the population displaced.