The recent Israeli strikes on the southern Gaza city of Rafah have caused significant impact and raised concerns for the safety and welfare of displaced people seeking shelter there. The strikes, which have resulted in the deaths of ten people in a house housing two displaced families, have further escalated the already dire humanitarian situation in the region.
Rafah, with a population that has swelled to well over a million people due to the influx of displaced individuals from other parts of Gaza, has become a critical safe haven for those seeking refuge from the conflict. However, the recent Israeli bombardment has left residents devastated and vulnerable. Samir Qeshta, a resident of Rafah, described his home as “completely destroyed” during the Israeli bombardment while he and his wife were away. Qeshta expressed his frustration, stating, “We are peaceful people, they struck us without prior warning.” Nimma al-Akhras, another resident, recounted her terrifying experience during the strike. She said, “The strike was unimaginable. We started screaming and I couldn’t move until someone carried me and put me on a cart. What did we do wrong? We were just sitting. It’s not safe in our homes nor outside. Where can we possibly go?”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claim to be targeting Hamas members and their infrastructure while trying to minimize civilian casualties. However, health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra stated that the infrastructure and medical services in Rafah are unable to handle the needs of an estimated 1.3 million displaced people. The overwhelmed city is reaching its breaking point, and there is a severe shortage of medical supplies and hospital beds. Doctors in the city’s Nasser hospital reported that the healthcare system has collapsed, with the ICU missing most of its medical supplies and the emergency room lacking necessary medications. The situation is further exacerbated by the fact that many displaced people are seeking shelter in hospital wards.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that less than half of Gaza’s hospitals are fully functional, and the few remaining ambulances are unable to provide sufficient emergency medical services. The healthcare system is on the verge of collapse, leaving the already vulnerable population at even greater risk. The dire humanitarian situation is compounded by the ongoing intense gun battles, tank shelling, and air strikes in densely populated refugee camps such as Bureij, Nuseirat, and Maghazi in the central Gaza Strip. The Israeli military claims to have targeted several locations and killed numerous fighters, but these claims cannot be independently verified.
The continuous Israeli strikes have raised deep concerns for the safety and well-being of the displaced people in Gaza. The death toll, which has already exceeded 23,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, highlights the devastating impact of the conflict on innocent lives. The international community must urgently address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and work towards a peaceful resolution to prevent further loss of life and displacement of innocent civilians
