On 10th October, it came to light that Egypt has been taking measures to prevent a mass exodus of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip into its Sinai Peninsula from the Rafah border crossing. As the Israeli bombardment has intensified following Hamas terrorists’ attack on Israel, the main exit point from the Palestinian enclave has been closed.
The situation has prompted Egypt to call Israel to ensure safe passage for Palestinians from Gaza rather than push them towards Rafah.
In a statement, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi emphasized the seriousness of the escalation in Gaza. He expressed his country’s commitment to finding a negotiated solution to the war between Israel and Palestine through regional and international cooperation.
Reportedly, Rafah is the only possible crossing point for 2.3 million Palestinians living in Gaza. Israeli counterattack on Hamas has led to its closure from both Egyptian and Palestinian sides. Notably, the densely populated Gaza Strip is surrounded by the Sea and Israel, which has announced a total siege of Gaza. While Israel is using its air power as retaliation to the Hamas terror attack, it is contemplating a potential ground offensive that could happen anytime. Currently, over 100,000 soldiers and tanks have been mobilized to surround Gaza.
Since 2007, the movement of people and goods in and out of Gaza has been controlled by Egypt and Israel. Despite diplomatic and economic relations between the two countries since 1978, Egypt’s general public has been critical of Israel’s role in the region. Many Egyptians see Israel as an oppressor of the Palestinians. They also consider Israel as a former occupier of the Sinai Peninsula.
Egypt was the first Arab country to make peace with Israel. It has a history of mediating between Israel and Palestinian factions during conflicts. The country has reportedly worked actively to prevent further escalation in the ongoing war.
The Israeli military had earlier recommended that Palestinians fleeing air strikes in Gaza head to Egypt, but this advice was later revised.
The Interior Ministry of Hamas in Gaza reported that an entry gate at the Rafah crossing was hit by an Israeli airstrike on Monday and Tuesday, which disrupted the border operations. Considering the ongoing Islamist insurgency in Sinai that began a decade ago, Egyptian authorities have increased their military presence near the border and are closely monitoring the situation.
As a possible refugee crisis bubbles up in Gaza, Egypt announced yesterday that they are closing the Rafah crossing.
BREAKING: Egypt has closed the Rafah crossing with Gaza's southern border
— The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) October 10, 2023
The blockade in Gaza is still ongoing as the Rafah crossing remains closed. Egypt is worried about the additional burden of hosting more refugees as it is already facing economic challenges. The country might find it difficult to support more refugees, and it could exacerbate its existing struggles. The presence of radical Hamas terrorists among the Gaza population is another reason why Egypt is hesitant to open the Rafah crossing.
Reports have emerged claiming that Israel has been bombing the vicinity of the Rafah crossing too. As per reports, despite warning by Israel, that aid convoys might get bombed too, Egypt has been trying to send some aid trucks into Gaza.
WHO says they will get in to provide aid, hospitals are running on generators in Gaza
The World Health Organisation has informed that they are working with Egyptian and Israeli authorities to ensure a humanitarian corridor inside Gaza, possibly through the Rafah crossing because that is basically the only access point currently.
“On 9 October, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus met with the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, who agreed to a WHO request to facilitate the delivery of health and other humanitarian supplies from WHO to Gaza via the Rafah crossing. Such humanitarian corridors must be protected”, WHO stated on its website.
“In the Gaza Strip, hospitals are running on backup generators with fuel likely to run out in the coming days. They have exhausted the supplies WHO pre-positioned before the escalation. The life-saving health response is now dependent on getting new supplies and fuel to health care facilities as fast as possible”, WHO added.
“Not our problem”: Israel says to the question of how Gaza residents will leave the strip
It is notable here that Israel had warned Gaza residents to leave the Strip as they would be attacking the area in response to Hamas’ terrorist attack on 7th October that killed over 9000 Israelis, mostly civilians. Considering that Gaza is basically “closed”, with Israel on the North and East, the sea in the West, and a narrow border with Egypt in the South where the Rafah exit is already closed by Egypt, questions were raised as to where would the roughly 2.3 million Palestinians are supposed to go.
Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, the spokesperson of the IDF stated that Israel is not in charge of the Rafah crossing, indirectly saying that it is up to Egypt to open or close it, and the exit point is not Israel’s problem.
It is notable here that the IDF had already declared that water, electricity, and supplies, all will be withheld from crossing into Gaza from the Israeli side.
Gaza is basically a densely packed ‘walled city‘, often described as the world’s largest open-air prison. With over 2 million Palestinians trapped inside, the Israeli bombardments are very likely to cause a massive casualty number. Apart from a large number of deaths, a big refugee crisis is also staring at Egypt, and possibly Europe, as many Palestinians would prefer to cross the Mediterranean to seek refuge in European nations.
Israel-Hamas war
On 7th October, the terrorist organisation Hamas launched a terror attack on Israeli soil. Over 900 people were killed in the attack. In response to the brutal terrorist attack on Israel that killed over 900 civilians and wounded over 2,500 others, Israel has declared war on Hamas and has been pounding the Gaza Strip with bombs for 3 days now.
The US and other NATO nations have declared support for Israel. Hundreds of Israelis and foreign nationals are believed to have been taken hostage by Hamas. Hamas has massacred civilians brutally after attacking a music festival, and family homes in Southern Israel. Social media posts have surfaced where Hamas terrorists are seen killing children, women, and the elderly. The exact number of hostages is unknown.
