‘All Eyes on Rafah’ campaign gains momentum as Israel’s military offensive in Gaza elicits global outrage

The phrase signifies solidarity with Palestinians affected by the strikes and is trending worldwide on social media.

Several Indian celebrities, including Priyanka Chopra, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Alia Bhatt, Richa Chadha, Kareena Kapoor, and Varun Dhawan, among others, have voiced their support by sharing the viral phrase on their respective Instagram stories.

Up to 108k posts on Instagram with #alleyesonrafah have been shared on Instagram till now.

What is happening in Rafah?

Israeli shelling and airstrikes on Tuesday targeted a cluster of tents in Al-Mawasi, west of Rafah, resulting in the deaths of at least 21 people, as reported by Gaza health authorities.

Among the deceased, at least 12 were women, according to medical officials in the Hamas-controlled Palestinian enclave.

However, Israel’s military later refuted these reports, stating in a statement that the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) did not strike in the designated humanitarian area in Al-Mawasi.

This incident occurred two days after an Israeli attack on Sunday triggered a blaze in a tent camp in a western district of the city, claiming the lives of at least 45 people.

The attack targeted a tent camp just north of Rafah city, in an area known as Tal as-Sultan. According to a report from Al-Jazeera, many shelters were engulfed in flames with occupants still inside.

A child rests on the day Palestinians travel on foot along with their belongings, as they flee Rafah due to an Israeli military operation, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, May 28, 2024. REUTERS

The Gaza Government Media Office reported that Israel dropped seven 900kg (2,000-pound) bombs as well as missiles on the displacement camp, with horrific videos emerging of the aftermath.

According to a BBC report on Tuesday, Israeli forces have reportedly reached the center of the southern Gaza city of Rafah and seized a strategically important hill overlooking the nearby border with Egypt. Witnesses and local journalists observed tanks stationed at the al-Awda roundabout, a key landmark in the area.

The fighting in Rafah has forced more than 1 million Palestinians to flee, many of whom were already displaced due to the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

They now seek refuge in squalid tent camps and other war-ravaged areas, lacking shelter, food, water, and other essentials for survival, according to the United Nations.

A man looks on as Palestinians inspect a tent camp damaged in an Israeli strike during an Israeli military operation, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, May 28, 2024. REUTERS

Israeli bombardments and ground offensives in Gaza have resulted in the deaths of more than 36,000 Palestinians, according to the Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians.

World reaction to the situation in Gaza

Algeria has circulated a proposed UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and ordering Israel to halt its military offensive in the southern city of Rafah without delay.

The draft calls for compliance with previous council resolutions that advocate for the opening of all border crossings and humanitarian access to Gaza’s 2.3 million people, who urgently require food and other aid.

The United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has described the situation in Gaza as a “humanitarian catastrophe,” warning of the risk of famine. He has urged Israel to facilitate the safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance through all crossing points. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) also called or a ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip today.

Protesters carry a banner that reads “Rafah burns” during a demonstration in support of Palestinians, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Mexico City, Mexico May 28, 2024. REUTERS

Guterres highlights the recent orders from the International Court of Justice directing Israel to cease its offensive in Rafah and open the border crossing from Egypt for aid deliveries, emphasising that these orders are binding and must be respected.

He is also calling for urgent efforts to prepare the Palestinian Authority to assume responsibilities for governing Gaza.

The US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller expressed regret on Tuesday about the deaths of up to 45 displaced Palestinian civilians in an Israeli attack, but gave no indication the US saw Israel as crossing any of the Biden administration’s “red lines” for the war in Gaza.
Spain, Ireland, and Norway officially recognised a Palestinian state on Tuesday, prompting a strong reaction from Israel. The three countries expressed hope that their decision would encourage other European Union countries to follow suit.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide stated that “the recognition is a strong expression of support for moderate forces in both countries.”

A man carries a child, as Palestinians travel on foot along with their belongings as they flee Rafah due to an Israeli military operation, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, May 28, 2024. REUTERS

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced that Spain is recognising a unified Palestinian state, encompassing the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, under the Palestinian National Authority, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

With this, a total of 146 out of the 193 member states of the United Nations now recognise a Palestinian state.

Is aid reaching Gaza?

Around 80% of Gaza’s population, totalling 2.3 million people, has been displaced, and UN officials warn of famine in parts of the territory. The ongoing fighting in Rafah has severely hindered humanitarian groups’ efforts to import and distribute aid to southern Gaza.

While the Israeli military claims to have permitted hundreds of trucks to enter through the nearby Kerem Shalom crossing since the start of its operation 3 weeks ago, aid groups report significant challenges in accessing this aid due to the ongoing conflict.

Over the past three weeks, the U.N. has only managed to collect aid from approximately 170 trucks via Kerem Shalom.

Although smaller amounts of aid are also entering through two crossings in the north and by sea via a US-built floating pier, these efforts fall far short of the 600 trucks per day that aid groups assert are needed.

Moreover, the pier is currently being removed for repairs after a part of the structure broke off, further complicating humanitarian aid delivery efforts.