Israel Plans To Push Palestinians Out Of Rafah Before Anticipated Offensive
Israel has authorised plans for a military offensive in Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah, despite growing international pressure and warnings from humanitarian groups and world leaders.
Rafah is currently home to 1.4 million people who are caught in the war between Israel and Hamas. Many of the people sought refuge in the city during Israel’s previous ground invasion.
The prospect of an incursion on Rafah has raised concerns among Israel’s allies, including the U.S. and Europe.
President Joe Biden has reaffirmed his opposition to military action in Rafah without a credible plan to protect civilians.
The Israeli military’s proposed approach involves moving civilians to designated “humanitarian islands” elsewhere in the Gaza Strip.
The situation in Gaza remains dire, with civilians facing immense hardships due to the ongoing conflict.
The primary delivery route for aid is over land. More than 15,000 trucks of aid have entered Gaza since October 7, 2023, through two entry points: Rafah (on Gaza’s border with Egypt) and Kerem Shalom (an Israeli crossing).
Several countries, including the US, Jordan, Egypt, France, the Netherlands, and Belgium, have been airdropping aid into Gaza. These airdrops include food, medicine, and other essentials.
The US and Jordan conducted an aid drop on March 3, 2024, providing enough food for over 38 000 meals.
Recently, two initiatives aim to deliver aid to Gaza by sea. The Spanish ship Open Arms arrived off the Gaza coast from Cyprus, towing a barge carrying around 200 tonnes of food provided by the US charity World Central Kitchen (WCK).
An additional 500 tonnes of aid is ready in Cyprus. This shipment includes rice, flour, lentils, beans, canned tuna, beef, and chicken, enough for nearly half a million meals.
The food aid delivered by land, air, and sea has provided essential supplies, but the situation remains precarious as the food is not enough to meet the needs of Gazans.
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