There is a major alarm in Gaza as Israel again hits the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt. The crossing became the victim of the constant air raids by Israelis, which is the only entry point into Gaza that Israelis do not control. It was the third attack on the crossing’s Palestinian side in the last 24 hours. The attack consisted of ‘four missiles’.
By Baya Osborn for NewsVoice. He writes about Conflicts and Security Studies, in the World of Politics. Osborn (lucrust.com) is based in Kenya.
The Israel Defence Forces, or IDF, said it could “neither confirm nor deny” any attack on the crossing “at this point,” according to the AFP. However, witnesses differed by stating that the attack hit the no-man’s land between the Egyptian and Palestinian gates, damaging the hall on the Palestinian side.
The NGO, Sinai for Human Rights, confirmed that Tuesday’s attacks prompted the closure of the crossing.
Rafah is an important crossing point. It is the only possible crossing point into Sinai for Gaza’s 2.3 million residents. Israel and the sea surround the rest of the 40-kilometre-long strip of land. The movement of people and goods is strictly controlled by Egypt and Israel’s blockade of Gaza.
Israel’s assault and bombardment of Gaza have reportedly caused alarm in Egypt. The African country has urged Israel to provide safe passage for civilians from the besieged enclave. This is a better solution than encouraging them to flee southwest towards Sinai.
President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt said that the escalation in Gaza was “highly dangerous”. He insisted that his country was pushing with regional and international partners for a negotiated solution to the violence. It would not allow the issue to be settled at the expense of others. He refers to the risk that Palestinians could be pushed into Sinai.
Egypt was the first Arab country to normalise relations with Israel. It has mediated between Israel and Palestinian factions during previous conflicts in Gaza. It has constantly pressed to prevent further escalation in the current fighting between the two countries.
The Israeli forces have been shelling Gaza with the fiercest attacks in the 75-year history of its conflicts. The Hamas attack in southern Israel has provoked a continuation and justification for fierce attacks on Gaza. The attacks on Gaza have been deadly, with an unprecedented incursion.
Israel enforced a total blockade of Gaza on Monday. Through Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant’s orders, the repercussions of the blockade are a series of predicaments for the Palestinian people. It has cut the population’s access to water, food, fuel, and electricity. He intended to starve an entire population. This is a war crime!
The total blockade is a war crime
UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, through Al Jazeera, says that “what it seems to me is that the measures taken, including the bombing of the Rafah crossing, hint at an intention to starve and kill the people who are innocent inside the Gaza Strip”.
She adds that the Palestinians might be experiencing something similar to a “second Nakba”, the mass displacement and dispossession of Palestinians during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, in the days ahead.
The attacks on Gaza raise fear that Palestinians could face an onslaught. The IDF is planning a ground invasion of Gaza while the civilians have nowhere to flee. The Ministry of Health in Gaza has confirmed that at least 830 people have been killed. They include women and children.
Also, more than 4,250 people have been wounded since the atrocities on Saturday.
According to Gaza’s interior ministry, Israeli airstrikes on Monday and Tuesday struck an entry gate on the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing. Egyptian reports stated that the bridge was also closed from the Egyptian side. This led the Palestinians, hoping to travel to Gaza, to retreat to Al Arish, the biggest city in the north Sinai.
The Rafah crossing point attacks are a tough task for Egypt to supply aid to the enraging war victims. Israel has confirmed to Egypt that it will bomb any truck columns heading from Egypt to Gaza. Up until the attacks on the crossing, about 800 people left Gaza through the crossing and about 500 people entered.
The current situation is deeply concerning, with a significant number of casualties and widespread destruction. The crisis must be urgently addressed, advocate for the protection of innocent civilians, and work towards a peaceful resolution to avoid further suffering and loss of life. Justification for war crimes should never happen!
By Baya Osborn (lucrust.com) for NewsVoice