Israel plans ground operations in Rafah putting 1.5 million refugees at risk

Israel’s plans to initiate ground operations in Rafah, a region in southern Gaza, have alarmed many, considering the fact that over 1.5 million Palestinian refugees find themselves trapped in the region.

This comes off the back of escalating bombardments in the region, which are being seen as a precursor to a large-scale ground assault. The United States apparatus has stated that such an action would worsen he humanitarian crisis in Gaza significantly, while the UN has said that Israeli ground operations in Rafah would result in a ‘slaughter’ that would indubitably claim the lives of many refugees that will get caught in the crossfire.

These concerns were raised as talks were held between the United States, Egypt, Israel and Qatar, to discuss a possible cease fire in Gaza. Unfortunately, the talks failed to provide a breakthrough.

Martin Griffith, the United Nations Aid Chief, gave his thoughts on the matter, saying that Prime Minister Netanyahu’s offensive has the potential to affect the humanitarian efforts in Gaza drastically.

Griffith added, “We lack the safety guarantees, the aid supplies and the staff capacity to keep this operation afloat.”

Rafah is said to be sheltering roughly 1.5 million Palestinians, according to some estimates, which makes it an area of interest to authorities carrying out humanitarian efforts in the war-torn region.

Most of these people fled to Rafah from other parts of Gaza, seeking safety as the conflict began, but find themselves at risk as Israel prepares to move troops into the region in large numbers.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s order to evacuate civilians from Rafah has already led to the deaths of 74 Palestinians, which is a small window into what will happen when large-scale operations are initiated in the region.

While the Rafah offensive looms in the background, President Joe Biden has been seeking a pause in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, which he would like to see lasting for six weeks.

The significance of Rafah

Rafah has been of special interest to all the parties involved in the conflict in Gaza since it began due to its geographical position. This is because Rafah sits on the border between Gaza and Egypt, placing it in the perfect location for aid and supplies to cross over into the war zone.

Rafah also happens to be Gaza’s southernmost governorate and has been the focal point to which refugees have travelled as Israel continued to push into Gaza, all the while stating that the southern region is safe for civilians.

The 64 square kilometers of Rafah now contain a large populace which will get caught in Israel’s offensive, without the shadow of a doubt. To add to the confusion and turmoil, Rafah has become the last haven for many Palestinians who have been pushed south due to incessant bombardments and assaults in the northern region.

Even though Rafah now has individuals clustered together in small spaces close to the inlet of aid into Gaza, there is a severe shortage of food, medicines and resources in the region. This might seem counterintuitive since a major chunk of the aid that has come into Gaza has passed through Rafah, yet, it remains the ground reality.

The situation is worsened by the fact that Rafah was home to merely 275,000 citizens and doesn’t have the capacity to shelter the 1.5 million refugees that have migrated there.

PM Netanyahu’s Rafah Offensive

Israel has an offensive planned in Rafah, which has been made quite evident by the aerial assaults that the IDF has been conducting in the region to soften up the target before ground troops move in.

Despite international pressure, Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Israeli security apparatus believe that initiating ground operation in Rafah is a priority since four Hamas brigades are said to be present in the region.

The situation has also alarmed Egypt as analysts believe Israel is attempting to push Palestinian refugees into Sinai, the region that borders Rafah on the Egyptian side.

This obviously is a major issue for Egypt, not only because it puts the internal security of the nation at risk but also because it would end up placing 1.5 million Palestinians who are already traumatized by the conflict in Egypt’s care.

In response to this threat, Egypt has placed 40 armoured personnel carriers and tanks at the border so as to ensure that the border is secure and Palestinian refugees don’t end up crossing into Egypt in overwhelming numbers.

In this particular scenario, Egypt has also raised its voice against Israel’s approach to Rafah, stating that a ground assault would put the Camp David peace accord at risk. This peace accord has been responsible for cultivating a functional relationship between the two nations for the last 40 years and is seen as a crucial document in that regard.

The ground reality in Rafah

The consistent bombardments conducted in Rafah by the Israel Defense Force have already claimed multiple lives. The concern is that the situation will only get worse as the ground assault begins and Israeli Forces begin to engage with Hamas fighters in close-quarter combat with large numbers of refugees in close proximity to the fighting.

There is also a sense that many Palestinian refugees who have made their way to Gaza have already been forced to move multiple times as the conflict has evolved. This is why some have said that they will remain in Rafah despite the impending assault.

The reality for many refugees is that they find themselves at the southern tip of Gaza and have practically nowhere to go now.

The conditions in Rafah have been described as deplorable, considering the fact that 22,000 people are crowded into each square kilometre of the territory. This has been confirmed by satellite imagery, which leaves no doubt about the issues the region is facing when it comes to dealing with the large number of refugees that have arrived there.

A controversy surrounding the UNRWA representatives in the region has also raised suspicions as Israel has stated that 12 UNRWA members were involved in the October 7th attack. This revelation came after nearly 150 of UNRWA’s staff members were killed in Israeli attacks.

Overcrowding has given diseases the perfect conditions to spread since isolating patients is virtually impossible, leading to a deteriorating health situation in Rafah.

Hepatitis A, lice infestations and scabies, among other medical conditions, have made the situation close to unbearable for some. The lack of hygienic showers and toilets has only made the problem worse and helped in the spread of certain diseases.