TEHRAN- The Gaza Strip has been the scene of death and destruction for more than four months amid Israel’s relentless strikes in the besieged Palestinian territory.

Soon after Israel launched its onslaught on October 7, it ordered Palestinians to leave the north of the strip and seek safety in southern areas such as Khan Younis and Rafah. But, as the war went on, the regime issued evacuation orders for areas where the Palestinians had been told to take refuge. 

Israel has recently intensified airstrikes on Rafah after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to prepare a plan to evacuate civilians from the city ahead of an expected ground offensive. 

Israel killed dozens of civilians in early Monday airstrikes in Rafah. 

Rafah humanitarian situation 

Rafah was home to 250,000 Palestinians before Israel launched its onslaught in October. But now an estimated 1.4 million people out of Gaza’s 2.3 million population are sheltering in the small city.  
They are living in makeshift shelters or tents in squalid conditions, with scarce access to safe drinking water or food.
The condition for newer arrivals is worse as they have to sleep in the streets. 
The internally displaced Gazans say Rafah is their last refuge and they have nowhere else to go. 
The world is now witnessing an unbearable human tragedy in the city where children are struggling to find food as shortages leave thousands hungry. 
Humanitarian organizations have warned of widespread shortages of critical supplies like medical aid.
Rafah's mayor has raised the alarm about severe shortage of medicines and medical supplies in the city. Ahmed al-Soufi told Turkish media that lack of sufficient fuel has hampered efforts to use vehicles and heavy machinery designated for removing rubble. 
"The barbaric Israeli aggression against Rafah threatens to cause additional massacres in the coming days, let alone humanitarian and health disasters,” he added. 
Amid the dire humanitarian situation in Rafah and Israel’s frequent air raids, concerns are growing over the potential for mass carnage in the city as Israel has signaled that it would soon launch a ground offensive there. 

International reactions 

The secretary-general of the Arab League warned of the “dangerous consequences” of Israel’s ongoing assault on Rafah. 

“The (Israeli) occupation’s intentions to impose the reality of displacement on hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, who have taken refuge in Rafah as a last resort from indiscriminate attacks on civilians, is an open and completely rejected plan; it entails serious threats to regional stability,” Ahmed Aboul Gheit told the World Government Summit in Dubai. 

He said the displacement of the Palestinian population by Israeli forces would lead to confrontation “for the next 1,000 years.” 

The president of the United Nations General Assembly also issued a stern warning over Israel’s looming ground operations in Rafah. 

“Another phase of this humanitarian catastrophe is at our doorstep. This is not a path to sustainable peace,” Dennis Francis, wrote on X.

China has also urged Israel to stop deadly attacks. 

The Chinese Foreign Ministry also said, "We oppose and condemn acts against civilians and international law. We call on Israel to stop military operations as soon as possible"

The ministry called on Tel Aviv to "do everything possible to avoid casualties among innocent civilians and prevent a more devastating humanitarian disaster in Rafah."

The German foreign minister, meanwhile, said she is “concerned” about Israel’s announcement that it is planning a large military offensive in Rafah. Annalena Baerbock added that Tel Aviv has to guarantee “safe corridors” for civilians in Rafah before conducting any incursion.

Germany is among the major suppliers of arms to Israel.

Around three months ago, a German government source said Berlin’s arms exports to Israel rose tenfold in 2023 from the previous year. 

The source said as of November 2, 2023, the German government had approved the export of close to $323 million worth of military equipment to Israel which had stood at $34 million in 2022.

U.S. politicians have also denounced Israel’s brutal war in Gaza. 

“Kids in Gaza are now dying from the deliberate withholding of food. In addition to the horror of that news, one other thing is true – that is a war crime. It is a textbook war crime. That makes those who orchestrate it war criminals,” Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen said.

President Joe Biden has also criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his deadly military campaign in Gaza. 

But, Biden’s critical remarks are nothing more than words. Because, in action, he refuses to exert any meaningful pressure on the regime to stop its genocidal war on Gaza.

The U.S. Senate voted early Tuesday to approve a $95 billion aid package. The legislation includes $14 billion for Israel in its war on Gaza. 

In addition, every year, the U.S. government sends $3.8 billion in military funding to Israel. 

If the loss of civilian life in Gaza matters to the U.S., as Biden has claimed, it can attach conditions to military support for Israel to force the regime to put a halt to its war on Gaza.