By Moussa Al Wazir | Staff Writer
As the Israeli military operation on the Gaza Strip enters its fourth month, murdering approximately 28,000 Palestinians and displacing about 1.5 million into the 63-kilometer square Rafah region, Benjamin Netanyahu’s war government announced its intentions to further expand its ground operation in the strip and invade Rafah. Netanyahu says the invasion of Rafah will allow him to achieve his war goals as he describes Rafah as the “last stronghold” of Hamas. Moreover, he assured the Israeli public of the legitimacy of this step by claiming that “victory is within reach” and saying that “we will reach what is left of the Hamas terrorist battalions”. From their side, Hamas has officially warned Israel and peace meditators, through one of its leaders, that “any Israeli ground attack on Rafah on the Gaza border will torpedo any possibility for hostage-exchange negotiations.” Israel has already started its invasion by setting up air raids and artillery fire in preparation for a ground operation.
The announcement of Israel’s intentions to invade Rafah has sparked concerns by different countries including Egypt, the United States of America, and Jordan. Bordering the Gaza Strip from its south, Egypt fears that Israel’s attack on Gaza’s Rafah would force the refugees to enter Egypt’s Sinai. Thus, the Egyptian army has raised border security by moving tanks and armored personnel in anticipation of any potential land assault by the Israeli army, increasing tensions between Tel Aviv and Cairo. Similarly, the intentions of invading Rafah also raised tensions between American President Joe Biden and Netanyahu as Biden called the Israelis’ operation “Over the top”. Additionally, he ensured that Israel should not conclude this operation unless they ensure the safety of civilians, stating that “The major military operation in Rafah should not proceed without a credible plan to ensure the safety and support of more than one million people sheltering there.” From his side, the king of Jordan, King Abdullah II, said about the operation on Rafah: “We cannot afford an Israeli attack on Rafah. It is certain to create another humanitarian catastrophe”.
The United Nations also stressed the significant humanitarian catastrophe that will happen as this area is already highly overcrowded with refugees struggling to find shelters and basic day-to-day needs such as food, clean water, healthcare services, and hygiene items. The United Nation’s top humanitarian official, Martin Griffiths, said that a Military operation in Rafah could lead to a slaughter in Gaza and will put the humanitarian operations in Gaza at “death’s door”. Additionally, United Nations medical staff said that they fear a humanitarian disaster “beyond imagination” if a full-scale incursion by the Israeli military happens in Rafah.
Sources:
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/2/15/israels-war-on-gaza-live-four-dead-as-israel-hits-city-in-lebanons-south
https://mondoweiss.net/2024/02/operation-al-aqsa-flood-day-127-growing-international-alarm-over-israeli-plans-to-invade-rafah/
https://www.bbc.com/arabic/articles/cv28jryjq8ro
https://www.newarab.com/analysis/if-israel-invades-rafah-will-become-death-zone
https://twitter.com/UNReliefChief/status/1757478710960066854
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/12/biden-jordan-abdullah-rafah-israel-gaza/