The Israeli military is currently devising plans to safely evacuate civilians from Rafah, which is anticipated to be the next focal point in the ongoing conflict within Gaza. Rafah, situated in the southernmost part of Gaza, has become a refuge for many Palestinians who have fled other conflict-affected areas. The town’s population has surged significantly, with families cramming into apartments, sidewalks, and once-empty lots filled with tents.
Fear and desperation grip the hearts of those in Rafah as Israel announces its intention to target the town. With approximately 1.5 million people seeking refuge there, more than half of Gaza’s population, there is no escape from the impending offensive. The devastation already witnessed in other parts of the territory weighs heavily on their minds. The fate of Rafah’s civilians hangs in the balance, caught between the crossfire of conflict and the urgent need for safety.
“We’re exhausted. Seriously, we’re exhausted. Israel can do whatever it wants. I’m sitting in my tent. I’ll die in my tent,” said Jihan al-Hawajri, who fled multiple times from the far north down the length of the Gaza Strip and now lives with 30 relatives in a tent.
U.N. officials have issued a dire warning regarding the potential consequences of an attack on Rafah. The situation is deeply concerning, as it places over 600,000 children directly in the path of an assault. Moreover, any military action in Rafah and its surrounding area could precipitate the collapse of the already fragile humanitarian aid system that is desperately trying to sustain Gaza’s population. The gravity of this situation cannot be overstated, and urgent attention is needed to prevent further catastrophe
Israel contends that capturing Rafah is essential to ensure the dismantling of Hamas. In response to mounting concerns, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed the military to devise an evacuation strategy. The United States, however, has expressed its opposition to any offensive on Rafah unless adequate provisions are made for the safety and well-being of its civilian population.
To “conduct such an operation right now with no planning and little thought in an area where there is sheltering of a million people would be a disaster,” State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters Thursday. “This is not something that we’d support,”
Despite previous appeals to minimize civilian casualties, Washington has consistently provided unwavering military and diplomatic backing to Israel’s ongoing campaign. However, Israel has disregarded these calls and expanded its evacuation directives as its forces advanced southward. Tragically, the death toll in Gaza continues to rise. Israel attributes this situation to Hamas’ practice of positioning its forces within civilian-populated areas.
The situation in Rafah is indeed precarious. The town finds itself hemmed in by various geographical and political boundaries to the south, lies Egypt, The Mediterranean Sea stretches to the west., Israel borders Rafah to the east, Israeli troops are stationed to the north.
Earlier in the conflict, Israel designated a narrow coastal strip adjacent to Rafah, known as Muwasi, as a safe zone. However, in recent weeks, this area has been subjected to intense bombardment, and Israeli forces have moved in to seize portions of it. The plight of civilians caught in this crossfire remains deeply concerning, as evacuation options are severely limited.
Numerous Palestinians in Rafah originally migrated from Gaza City and other northern regions, and they desire to return to their places of origin. However, Israel has not demonstrated any inclination to permit a large-scale movement back toward the north. Israel asserts that its troops maintain significant operational control in the northern areas but continue to engage in combat with isolated pockets of Hamas fighters.
Egypt has firmly rejected any large-scale exodus of Palestinians onto its land, apprehensive that Israel would prevent their return. Meanwhile, Israel is unlikely to permit hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to seek refuge within its own borders. The situation remains tense as both sides grapple with the humanitarian crisis and the plight of displaced individuals in the ongoing conflict
Stretching across the barren dunes between Rafah town and the sea, a crowded tent city has emerged, hastily erected by the influx of people over the past month.
As winter rains descend, the barren expanse transforms into frigid mud, infiltrating the tents that house extended families and their children. In the morning, women diligently suspend bedding on clotheslines, striving to keep them dry throughout the day. But come nightfall, they lay the same bedding on the ground, seeking respite and rest amidst the challenging conditions.
Within Rafah town, the central squares and bustling streets teem with makeshift tents. Meanwhile, other families seek refuge in U.N. school classrooms or squeeze into cramped apartments with relatives. The pervasive hunger and illness afflict everyone: colds, coughs, and gastrointestinal ailments spread unchecked. Basic medications are scarce, necessitating lengthy queues at the pharmacy for even the simplest remedies.
Nearly all essential supplies, ranging from canned food and flour to diapers, arrive via a sparse convoy of aid trucks permitted by Israel to enter Gaza. These provisions are then distributed by the U.N. and other humanitarian organisations. Meanwhile, improvised open-air markets thrive along the main thoroughfares, bustling with people. Here, many individuals barter portions of their allocated resources in an effort to sustain themselves and their families.
Given the scarcity, prices have soared. A chocolate bar that previously sold for 50 U.S. cents now commands a hefty $5 price tag. Similarly, a solitary egg can set you back nearly $1. It’s quite a dramatic shift in costs!
At street corners, clusters of young men linger, their eyes trained on passing aid trucks. When the opportunity arises, they pounce, brandishing knives to sever the ropes securing bags of flour. These precious provisions are either sold or distributed to their families, a desperate measure in times of scarcity and need.
According to U.N. officials, a staggering 90% of Gaza’s population now subsists on less than one meal per day. The situation is even more dire in the northern regions, where a quarter of the population grapples with outright famine. Unfortunately, Israeli restrictions have severely hampered the delivery of much-needed aid convoys to these desperate communities.
Rafah serves as the epicenter of the aid campaign, where trucks arrive either from Egypt or via a nearby Israeli crossing. Their crucial cargo is then distributed across the beleaguered Gaza Strip, providing a lifeline to its struggling population.
“Any large-scale military operation among this population can only lead to additional layers of endless tragedy,” Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, the main agency leading the humanitarian effort, told The Associated Press.
Following the October 7 attack on southern Israel, during which 1,200 people lost their lives and 250 hostages were taken by the militants, Israel has made a resolute commitment to eradicate Hamas from the entire Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Netanyahu announced that preparations were in progress for a military operation in Rafah, although the exact timing remains undisclosed.
“We are on the way to an absolute victory,” he said. “There is no other solution.”
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has inflicted immense suffering, the attacks have left communities in southern Israel grieving, as they grapple with the aftermath of mass infiltration and violence. The situation is heartbreaking, and the toll on human lives is devastating.
Rafah has witnessed a horrifying escalation in Israeli bombardment. On Friday, devastating strikes reduced two buildings to rubble, claiming the lives of at least eight people, including three children and a woman.
In the makeshift tent city, Najah Hasheasho describes how their flimsy wooden frame, covered with plastic, trembles with each deafening blast that rocks the area. This fragile shelter is home to her family, and the relentless violence takes a toll on their safety and well-being.
“We want to go back to Gaza City. That’s our home,” she said.
Nahed Abu Asi, a neighbor in the camp, shares a common belief with many others: that Israel’s intention is to forcibly relocate the population into Egypt on a permanent basis.
“We won’t go into Egypt,” he said. “We’ll make our way back to Gaza City and die there — or in any place on the soil of Gaza.”
ALSO READ | U.S. Retaliatory Strikes in Iraq and Syria: A Bold Response to Drone Attack in Jordan