Since the beginning of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip for 4 consecutive months, the inhabitants of the area have been fleeing from danger to safety until more than a million people ended up in Rafah in Gaza.
Rafah forms the last refuge for Palestinians escaping the continuous Israeli bombardment, with around 1.4 million Palestinian citizens in the area after the Israeli occupation forces forced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians north of the Gaza Strip to flee to the south.
In contrast, the Palestinian Red Crescent reported that Rafah city is witnessing intense Israeli airstrikes concentrated in the city center, targeting populated houses near the Red Crescent headquarters, resulting in the martyrdom of over 100 Palestinians in Israeli airstrikes on Rafah.
The hashtag #Rafah_Under_Attack invaded social media platforms, with users following the events in Rafah city in the south of the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the bombing. Videos have surfaced showing the new massacre committed by the Israeli occupation army against the civilians in Rafah.
Journalist Hani Abu Rizk posted a video on his Instagram page showing an injured woman who arrived at Kuwaiti Hospital due to the continuous bombing in Rafah, screaming amidst a crowd of injured, questioning, “Why are they bombing us in Rafah, the area they claim is safe?”
Some commentators suggested that the recent events in Rafah are a prelude to wider-scale attacks, gradually desensitizing the public until the bombardment becomes routine.
The strikes carried out by the Israeli army yesterday on Rafah targeted the Huday Mosque in the Yibna refugee camp, the Rahma Mosque in the Shabura camp, and 14 residential buildings. Images circulated of children gathering Quranic books salvaged from the two mosques.
Despite Arab, international, and UN warnings, the Israeli airstrikes on Rafah continue, viewed as attempts at forced displacement of Palestinians. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously stated in an interview that advancing into Rafah aims to ensure the safe passage of civilian populations for evacuation.
On the 129th day, the occupation’s aggression on the Gaza Strip persists by land, sea, and air, resulting in over 28,176 martyrs and 67,784 injured. Thousands of victims remain buried, while the occupation prevents ambulance and rescue teams from reaching them.
