Israeli forces have attacked Rafah, the southern city in Gaza. Those who sought refuge are now displaced once more. Aid has been blocked, children are on the verge of death, and hospitals have only three days’ worth of fuel left to operate.
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In a statement released Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said, “if we have to stand alone, we will stand alone. If we need to, we will fight with our fingernails. But we have much more than fingernails.” This is in response to US President Joe Biden, stating he might withhold some weapons shipments to Israel if the ground invasion of Rafah by Israel forces takes place. – EuroNews
Stranded, with their homes demolished and loved ones killed, Palestinians have been repeatedly displaced on their own land. Until now seeking refuge in Rafah, located in the far southern strip, they hoped to escape death and destruction, searching for a safe haven that sadly is too under a siege. Now, they find themselves displaced once more, living in danger, deprived of their last refuge. Tens of thousands of Palestinians are fleeing from the southern Gaza city of Rafah, anticipating an imminent Israeli ground invasion.
Israeli helicopter gunships have launched missiles toward the Zeitoun neighborhood, located south of Gaza City, where reports of artillery shelling and gunfire from advancing Israeli military vehicles have also emerged. Sick and wounded Palestinians are dying by the hour, trapped in Gaza without access to medical care due to Israel’s closure of border crossings, as reported by the Health Ministry in the besieged and bombarded territory.
The World Health Organization says it has only three days of fuel for its medical operations in southern Gaza, with shortages already forcing one of three remaining hospitals in the city of Rafah to shut down.
The death toll from Israeli attacks on Gaza since the onset of the conflict has climbed to 34,904, according to the latest figures released by the Health Ministry.
Israel’s Intentions & Determination To Launch Attack On Rafah
Rafah is the primary route for aid entering Gaza and the exit for those able to flee into Egypt. On Tuesday, tanks with Israeli flags were seen near the Rafah border gate. The Israeli military said they took control of the crossing because they believed it was being used for terrorist activities.They claimed that the area near the crossing was used to launch a mortar attack that killed four Israeli soldiers and injured others near the Kerem Shalom crossing. However, they didn’t provide immediate evidence to support this claim.
The Israel Defense Forces described their actions in Rafah, on Tuesday as: “a precise counterterrorism operation to eliminate Hamas terrorists and infrastructure within specific areas” in the east of the city.
Why the Rafah Border Crossing is Vital
The U.N. agency tasked specifically with providing humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza and across the region, echoed that concern in a tweet, saying “continued interruption of the entry of aid and fuel supplies” through the Rafah border gate would severely impact aid distribution across the entire Palestinian territory, and warning that “catastrophic hunger faced by people”
The border crossing in Rafah lets humanitarian workers in and helps sick and injured people get treatment outside Gaza. Closing it hurts Gaza’s connection to the world.
Jens Laerke, a spokesperson for the UN, said that COGAT, the Israeli agency in charge of oversees supplies into the Palestinian territories, was blocking access to Rafah. “The impact is frankly catastrophic because, as you know, these two entry points, I would say particularly Rafah, are arteries of aid that goes into the entire Gaza Strip.”
U.S. President Has Finally Taken His First Action Against Israel
For the first time, U.S. President Joe Biden has just publicly vowed to withhold and stop providing weapons to Israel if its forces launch a major invasion of Rafah in southern Gaza. Negotiations for a ceasefire plan in Cairo were ongoing on Thursday.
“I made it clear that if they go into Rafah, … I’m not supplying the weapons,” Biden said in an interview with CNN on Wednesday. His administration has been asking Israel about its plan to protect civilians in Rafah. Despite this, it seems the Israeli army is still moving forward with its actions. President Biden appears to be drawing a firm line, which is receiving attention and pressure, particularly from Democrats and protests across the U.S.
This appears to be the first direct action taken by President Biden in this regard. It marks the first time he has pushed back and firmly stated his position.
Historical Significance & Past Events: The Rafah Border
The Rafah border has seen a perilous time since Hamas took control in 2007 as Israel and Egypt made movement, limited in and out of Gaza. But the onset to this began since the 1967 War, when Israel took control of the Gaza Strip, including Rafah City, Rafah has symbolized resilience amid adversity, caught amongst the competing interests of other parties like Israel, Egypt. Its strategic importance, historical significance, and vibrant community highlight the complexity of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the urgent need for a fair resolution.
Sources: CBS, Reuters, Al Jazeera
