Palestinian children carrying pots wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, amid a shortage of aid supplies, after Israeli forces launched a ground and air operation in the eastern part of Rafah, in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, May 8, 2024.
RAFAH – Three days ago, the Israeli military dropped leaflets ordering refugees and residents of Rafah to leave. In an order ordering people to move out of Rafah, the Israeli military said it “will operate with force” against Hamas fighters in the area. UN estimates say there are 1.2 million people sheltering in dire conditions in Rafah, the southern city of Gaza.
“The massive famine that occurred in the northern part of Gaza has spread to the southern part,” said Cindy McCain, head of the World Food Program (WFP), at the weekend. There are around 200 Palestinians who are forced to flee Rafah every hour, according to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (Unrwa) on Wednesday (8/5/2024). In an online press conference, doctors and humanitarian aid workers reporting from Gaza spoke of the impossibility of moving people from Rafah, as people are ravaged by starvation, coupled with the collapse of transport systems and health services. “There are children and old people who are so hungry that they can barely walk. These people can’t just move to another area, to a so-called ‘safe zone’. That’s impossible,” said Alexandra Saieh, head of humanitarian policy of Save the Children. Some aid workers have stated, “There are no safe areas in the Gaza Strip for relocation.” “The concept of a safe zone is a lie,” said Helena Marchal, from Medecins du Monde. Israeli troops became increasingly barbaric by killing more than 34,700 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, injuring more than 78,000 people, most of whom were women and children.
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