APPEALS to Israel to halt its merciless slaughter of helpless refugees trapped in the city of Rafah in Gaza rang out nationally and internationally today.

Refugees began streaming out of the town on the Egyptian border after Israel warned 100,000 people to evacuate, saying it was planning to attack.

An emergency demonstration has been called outside Downing Street for Tuesday night.

After another night of bombardment which left more than 20 dead, Islington North MP Jeremy Corbyn said: “This is disgusting beyond belief, that Israel continues to bombard one million people stuck in Rafah and has now asked 100,000 to move to ‘humanitarian safe zones’.”

“Thirty-four thousand lives have already been lost. Now is the time to cease fire and stop arms sales to Israel.”

The Stop the War Coalition, which has called this evening’s Downing Street rally at 6pm, said: “As Israel continues its bombing of civilians trapped in Rafah and prepares a ground invasion, knowing nowhere is safe for the 1.7 million Palestinians trapped there, Sunak, Starmer and Biden continue to support Netanyahu’s genocide.

“Rather than pulling their support, including by stopping arms sales, they attack our marches, attack student protests, and attack anyone who calls out Israel’s atrocities.

“Our government must act to stop further mass slaughter.”

CND general secretary Kate Hudson said the “genocide is enabled and condoned by our government, backed by the Labour Party.

“The blood of the people of Gaza is on the hands of British politicians and they must pay not only the political price but also face charges for their complicity.“

“How many more children and innocent civilians need to be shot, bombed or starved to death before Westminster finally changes course and chooses to act?” asked SNP MP for Glasgow South West Chris Stephens.

Communist Party of Britain international secretary Kevan Nelson said Western powers backing Israel, including Britain, through arms sales were complicit.

But Downing Street remained silent on the crisis despite appeals from charities for an intervention.

Madeleine McGovern, humanitarian advocacy adviser for aid organisation Care International UK, said: “The British government must act urgently to prevent an expansion of military operations in Rafah, which would place 1.5 million men, women and children at unacceptable risk.

“Ministers cannot delay any longer before suspending licences for arms sales to Israel.

“It would be unconscionable for British-made weapons to be used in an assault on Rafah.”

Islamic Relief, an international charity based in Britain, said it was “appalled” that Israel had ordered evacuations in eastern parts of Rafah.

“As we have seen over the past seven months, forcing so many people to move is impossible without serious humanitarian cost, and people will inevitably die as a result of the evacuation,” it said.

A spokesperson for the charity ActionAid said: “Forcing over a million displaced Palestinians from Rafah to evacuate without a safe destination is not only unlawful but would lead to catastrophic consequences.

“Our aid workers are reporting some of the most severe conditions in recent memory with widespread disease, starvation and chaos.”

Students at universities in Oxford and Cambridge have joined those at eight others in Britain and more than 100 worldwide who have established protest camps on campus.

Palestine also continued to dominate May Day marches and rallies in Britain on Monday, including at Chesterfield in Derbyshire and Salford in Greater Manchester.

The latest developments look set to scupper last-ditch efforts by international mediators to broker a ceasefire in the conflict. 

Hamas and Qatar, a key mediator, have warned that invading Rafah would derail the talks.

But the determination of Israel’s far-right government to mount a full-scale attack on Rafah was confirmed today when Defence Minister Yoav Gallant told US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin, that Israel was intent on moving ahead with the offensive.

Israeli leaders have described Rafah as the last Hamas stronghold and have repeatedly said the invasion is necessary to defeat the group.

Activist, journalist and historian Vijay Prashad slammed an all-out Israeli attack on Rafah as “outrageous,” describing it as “nothing other than genocidal terrorism.”

And Margaret Kimberley, the executive editor of Black Agenda Report, condemned Israel’s actions as “war crimes and genocide.”

She said: “The complicity of Western nations in committing these crimes makes claims of democracy and civilisation a complete sham.”

Agreeing with Ms Kimberley, activist Sarah Wilkinson said: “We are watching a genocide livestreamed into our phones.”

She told the Morning Star: “The people have nowhere to go and Israeli troops are preventing them from going anywhere safe. This could be stopped if it wasn’t for political cowardice.”

Father of five Nidal Alzaanin, who works for an international aid group and was displaced to Rafah from Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza, said people are concerned since Israeli troops shot at Palestinians as they moved during previous evacuation orders.

Mr Alzaanin said he will wait 24 hours to see what others do before relocating. He said he has a friend in Khan Younis whom he hopes can pitch a tent for his family.

But Sahar Abu Nahel, whose husband is being held by the Israelis, and who was displaced to Rafah with 20 of her family, said: “Where am I going to go? I have no money or anything.

“Maybe it’s more honourable for us to die. We are being humiliated.”

Update: 18:23 May 6, 2024

• Hamas says it has accepted a ceasefire deal proposed by Egypt and Qatar.

  The Palestinian militant group has issued a statement saying its supreme leader, Ismail Haniyeh, had expressed his agreement in a phone call with Qatar's prime minister and Egypt's intelligence minister.

  Israel has not yet commented on the proposal which would halt its seven-month conflict with Hamas.

  Egypt and Qatar have been mediating months of talks between Hamas and Israel.

  Hamas has agreed to the proposed ceasefire hours after Israel ordered Palestinians to begin evacuating the southern Gaza town of Rafah ahead of an Israeli military operation.