On 6 May 2024, Israel began a military offensive in and around the city of Rafah as part of its invasion of the Gaza Strip during the Israel–Hamas war. Before the offensive, about 1.4 million displaced Palestinians from elsewhere in the Gaza Strip had sought shelter in Rafah. That Israel is in a defiant and reckless frame of mind is clear from the fact it has chosen to ignore even its closest allies- the US. The “All Eyes on Rafah” campaign, spanning across multiple social media platforms, is a poignant call to action from global activists and humanitarian groups. It’s a plea for global awareness, urging people not to turn away from the war unfolding in Rafah.
The escalation of Israeli shelling and airstrikes resulting in the tragic loss of at least 37 lives outside the southern Gaza city of Rafah on Tuesday has ignited widespread international condemnation with the slogan “All Eyes on Rafah” campaign gaining momentum on social media. The war-torn enclave is suffering from a humanitarian catastrophe nearly seven months after Israel launched a devastating offensive in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attacks that killed 1,200 people in Israel.
Israel dropped seven 900kg (2,000-pound) bombs as well as missiles on the displacement camp, with horrific videos emerging of the aftermath. Israeli forces have reportedly reached the center of the southern Gaza city of Rafah and seized a strategically important hill overlooking the nearby border with Egypt. Witnesses and local journalists observed tanks stationed at the al-Awda roundabout, a key landmark in the area.
The fighting in Rafah has forced more than 1 million Palestinians to flee, many of whom were already displaced due to the conflict between Israel and Hamas.They now seek refuge in squalid tent camps and other war-ravaged areas, lacking shelter, food, water, and other essentials for survival, according to the United Nations. The European Union’s relationship with Israel hit a rough patch earlier in the week, after Israel’s deadly attacks in southern Gaza’s city of Rafah, which health officials say killed 45 Palestinians, hit tents for displaced people and left “numerous” others trapped in flaming debris.
Algeria has circulated a proposed UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and ordering Israel to halt its military offensive in the southern city of Rafah without delay. The draft calls for compliance with previous council resolutions that advocate for the opening of all border crossings and humanitarian access to Gaza’s 2.3 million people, who urgently require food and other aid. Meanwhile, the EU Chief of Foreign Policy has the body to give him “the green light, the political green light to reactivate our mission in Rafah, which has been sleeping for years, not active. This could play a crucial role in supporting the entry of people into Gaza and in and out,” Borrell said. He added: “Horrified by news coming out of #Rafah on Israeli strikes killing dozens of displaced persons, including small children. I condemn this in the strongest terms”.There is no safe place in Gaza. These attacks must stop immediately. ICJ orders & IHL must be respected by all parties.
Israel’s intransigence has even woken up sleeping giants and Israel’s submission to international pressure may not be too far away. To shy away from solidarity with the subjugated and persecuted Palestinians is no more an option. It is a political and moral obligation for justice seeking citizens around the world to act in whatever way is possible.
In solidarity,
Ranjan Solomon
On Behalf of MLN Palestine Updates