NGOs warn Israeli ground offensive in Rafah could turn city into “zone of bloodshed”
Byline: Niamh Kennedy
Palestinians form a dense crowd on the streets of Rafah, Gaza, on February 8.
Image Credits: Abed Rahim Khatib/Anadolu/Getty Images
As civilians brace themselves for a potentially imminent Israeli incursion into the border city of Rafah, several non-governmental organizations have issued warnings about the humanitarian consequences for the city.
The Israel Defense Forces will “soon go into Rafah, Hamas’s last bastion,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday. The US would not support an Israeli military operation in Rafah “without serious planning,” US State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said Thursday.
An estimated 1.3 million people are currently in Rafah, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has estimated.
Concerns Raised by NGOs
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)
Rafah could soon turn “into a zone of bloodshed and destruction that people won’t be able to escape,” warned Angelita Caredda, an NRC regional director. Attacks on essential services provided by the NRC, such as food, water, and shelter, will impede or possibly halt life-saving assistance.
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
More than 600,000 children, many of whom have already been displaced from other parts of Gaza, are currently seeking refuge in Rafah. UNICEF expressed concerns for the wellbeing of these children in the event of an Israeli ground offensive in the area.
Safeguarding Health and Humanitarian Facilities
Months of heavy fighting in the northern regions have led to the destruction of healthcare and humanitarian facilities. As a result, officials are urging the protection of the remaining services in the south. Providing shelter, healthcare, and clean water to the residents of Rafah is crucial to prevent a rise in hunger and disease, especially affecting innocent children.
“We need Gaza’s last remaining hospitals, shelters, markets, and water systems to stay functional. Without them, hunger and disease will skyrocket, taking more child lives,” implored UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.
