Isreal-Palestinian War: All Eyes on Rafah

The phrase "All Eyes on Rafah" has gained momentum recently, aiming to draw global attention to the plight of Palestinians in the Gazan city. As the war in Gaza rages on, attacks have increasingly focused on the southern city of Rafah. Israeli forces claim they are targeting Hamas battalions in this area.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the military would advance on the city "with or without a deal" to achieve its objective of destroying the militant group Hamas. He stated, "We will enter Rafah because we have no other choice. We will destroy the Hamas battalions there, we will complete all the objectives of the war, including the return of all our hostages."

On 6 May, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) launched a military offensive in and around Rafah. Israeli tanks have now reached the center of Rafah after airstrikes in the past 24 hours reportedly killed dozens and injured hundreds more.

The phrase “All Eyes on Rafah” has been gaining traction as a call to action, drawing the world’s attention to the events unfolding in the city.

Rafah is a Palestinian city in southern Gaza, near the border with Egypt. In 2017, its population was estimated at 171,889. By February this year, the population had swelled by 1.4 million as Palestinians fled from the north of the region to escape bombardment due to the war. Rafah is also the site of the only border crossing with Egypt, serving as a gateway for aid into the enclave and an exit point for those attempting to flee.

Meanwhile, Israel's military stated that a Sunday attack in southern Rafah targeted and killed two senior Hamas operatives, but it also sparked a fire that Palestinians and many Arab countries condemned as a “massacre." On Monday, Prime Minister Netanyahu called the strike a “tragic mistake," which triggered global outrage against Israel. A US National Security Council spokesperson emphasized that Israel “must take every precaution possible to protect civilians." Former UK Prime Minister David Cameron expressed his distress over the airstrikes in Rafah, urging for a deal to secure the release of hostages and allow aid, advocating for a pause in fighting to work towards a long-term ceasefire.

Egypt condemned the targeting of civilians, calling it part of a “systematic policy aimed at widening the scope of death and destruction in the Gaza Strip to make it uninhabitable." Jordan accused Israel of “ongoing war crimes," while Saudi Arabia and Turkey condemned the continued massacres and vowed to hold Israel accountable. Qatar condemned the attack as a “dangerous violation of international law," expressing concern that it would complicate ongoing mediation efforts toward a truce.

The Israel-Hamas conflict, which erupted in Gaza in October last year, has reignited the debate over Palestinian statehood in international politics. Israel argues that the Hamas attack demonstrated the security risks posed by an independent Palestinian state on its border. However, many countries believe that a two-state solution is the key to achieving lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

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