The EU is worried that Israel might extend the war in Gaza to a ‘pressure cooker’ town near Egypt

By LORNE COOK
Associated Press

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union is worried about reports that the Israeli military intends to take its battle against Hamas to the town of Rafah at Gaza’s border with Egypt. Over 1 million Palestinians have escaped the fighting in Rafah. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Saturday that conflict is likely to spread throughout the region unless a cease-fire is agreed. His comments came after U.S. airstrikes hit dozens of sites in Iraq and Syria used by Iranian-backed militias. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that Israeli troops could soon move on Rafah. Borrell says Israel had claimed that parts of southern Gaza were safe zones, “but in fact what we see is that the bombing affecting the civilian population continues.”