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Threatened by Israeli ground invasion, Rafah is the main news point around the world as the lives of over a million besieged civilians are at the stake.
But first, what exactly is Rafah, and what is the nature of this imminent Israeli invasion?
What is Rafah?
The town of Rafah sits on the border of Egypt and the Gaza Strip.
It alludes to the southernmost region of Gaza, its capital city, and the entrance to the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. In addition, it is a city in Egypt’s North Sinai province.
Many people have fled Israel’s four-month-long assault on Gaza to Rafah, which is 64 square kilometers (25 square miles). They were urged to move “further south” for safety, but that never materialized.
About 1.4 million Palestinians have been forced into Rafah by Israel’s relentless bombing that has claimed the lives of nearly 30,000 Palestinians.
In the little area that Israel has not destroyed or targeted, people are crammed together. There are severe shortages and an extreme state of affairs.
What is the nature of the Israeli invasion?
Israel claims that four Hamas brigades are present in Rafah as justification for its ongoing airstrikes and upcoming ground operation.
Moreover, Israel claims to be getting ready to leave the city, though it is not clear where, so people taking refuge in Rafah are afraid.
Why is Egypt involved?
Given that the stranded civilians are near the Egyptian border, analysts speculate that Israel would wish to force them into Sinai.
Concerns are raised regarding both the potential for over a million traumatized Palestinians to be forced into Egypt and the country’s internal security.
What has Egypt done so far?
According to reports, Egypt has sent 40 tanks and armored vehicles to the Gaza border in an effort to stop any potential Israeli ground onslaught.
The forty-year-old Camp David peace pact between Israel and the Palestinians is in jeopardy, according to Egypt, which has warned that any Israeli ground assault on Rafah would have “catastrophic consequences” and that Israel’s objective of driving the Palestinians from their land.
Egypt has increased its border security since October 7.
What prevents Palestinians from wanting to leave Gaza?
The Nakba was a recent event that resulted in the wholesale displacement of Palestinians.
Approximately 750,000 Palestinians were forced from their homes and lands in 1948 so that the state of Israel could be established.
There are a lot of descendants of Nakba refugees in Gaza, and they don’t want to leave Palestine since they know they can’t return because Israel won’t let them.
Since 1948, the Palestinian Right of Return has been a fundamental demand, and Arab nations, including Egypt, are against any form of displacement.
Conditions in Rafah
An area that is already under risk is visible in satellite pictures. Rafah’s 64 square kilometers are home to over 22,000 people apiece.
Rafah was one of the most densely populated parts of Gaza, which is itself one of the most populous places in the world, with 275,000 people living in about 64 square kilometers prior to the conflict.
The displaced take up residence in UNRWA facilities in the hopes that the organization created to help them will be able to. However, around 150 UNRWA employees were killed in Israel’s attacks, aid is being withheld by Israel, and Western nations stopped funding UNRWA when Israel claimed, without providing proof, that 12 UNRWA employees were involved in the October 7 attack.
Overcrowding is causing diseases to spread, and health officials are reporting an outbreak of hepatitis A, which is spread by close contact.
There’s no way to stop this outbreak like scabies and lice due to lack of toilet facilities.
