RAFAH, Gaza Strip. The southern Gaza city of Rafah has become a battleground as intense fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants rages on, leading to the closure of vital aid crossings and the displacement of over 100,000 civilians, a United Nations official reported on Friday.
Plans for a full-scale Israeli invasion of Rafah seem to be temporarily on hold amid strong opposition from the United States, which has threatened to withhold arms. However, a limited incursion initiated earlier in the week risks exacerbating Gaza’s humanitarian crisis.
Simultaneously, heavy clashes have erupted in northern Gaza, where Hamas militants have regrouped despite previous Israeli offensives.
Over a million Palestinians have sought refuge in Rafah, crowding into U.N.-run shelters and makeshift camps. The city serves as a lifeline for essential supplies, including food, medicine, and fuel.
Georgios Petropoulos, an official from the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Rafah, highlighted the dire situation, stating that approximately 110,000 people have fled the city. Food and fuel supplies are dwindling, and access to medical assistance and humanitarian aid is severely restricted.
Petropoulos expressed concerns about the safety of humanitarian workers in the midst of ongoing fighting, emphasizing the urgent need for supplies to assist displaced individuals.
Israeli forces have seized control of the Rafah crossing with Egypt, halting the flow of crucial goods and services. The nearby Kerem Shalom crossing, Gaza’s primary cargo terminal, remains inaccessible due to continued hostilities.
In Rafah, Israeli troops engage in close-quarters combat with Palestinian militants, resulting in heavy artillery exchanges and gunfire. The military claims to have targeted militant tunnels and eliminated combatants through both ground operations and aerial strikes.
Hamas, meanwhile, has launched attacks targeting Israeli positions, including mortar rounds aimed at the Kerem Shalom crossing. Despite Israeli assertions that Rafah is a stronghold of Hamas, the group continues to resist Israeli incursions.
The conflict in Gaza has claimed thousands of lives and displaced tens of thousands more, with civilians bearing the brunt of the violence. Efforts to broker a ceasefire and secure the release of hostages have faltered, with Hamas demanding guarantees for an end to the war and Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
As the situation in Gaza remains precarious, international efforts to mitigate the crisis and find a lasting resolution continue to face significant challenges.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
