On February 12, Saleh Abou Ghanem heard Israeli warplanes buzzing within the sky from night time till daybreak.
They have been bombing Rafah, the southern Gaza city close to the Egyptian border the place 1.4 million Palestinians have sought relative security from relentless Israeli assaults. While Abou Ghanem survived the assaults, he realized that his aunt was killed in her dwelling by an Israeli bomb.
“She was sleeping when she was martyred,” he advised Al Jazeera.
Last week, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his intention to develop navy operations into Rafah. Two days later, Israel launched a collection of strikes that killed dozens of individuals.
Analysts imagine Netanyahu’s acknowledged plan is a part of a broader plot to depopulate Gaza and lengthen his political survival, as many predict that he will likely be faraway from his submit after the struggle.
But world leaders have warned {that a} full-scale assault on Rafah is a “red line,” regardless of few threatening to punish Israel if it goes by with the offensive.
After being forcefully evacuated into Rafah, Palestinians have nowhere else to flee. Many concern {that a} navy operation might result in among the worst violence in a struggle that has already killed greater than 28,000 Palestinians following Hamas’s lethal assault on October 7, wherein almost 1,200 individuals have been killed.
“Some people have fled Rafah [since the recent attacks], but I don’t know where they went. There is nowhere to go. Where can anyone go?,” stated Abou Ghanem, with resignation.
Depopulating Gaza
The looming navy operation in Rafah intends to completely displace tons of of 1000’s of Palestinians over the border into Egypt, in line with Omar Rahman, an knowledgeable on Israel-Palestine with the Middle East Council for Global Affairs suppose tank.
He advised Al Jazeera that Israel’s struggle on Gaza has all the time been a much wider marketing campaign towards the Palestinian inhabitants and never simply Hamas. He stated that Israel’s plans to assault Rafah are additional proof.
“The Israeli war machine is bearing down on Rafah with genocidal intent,” he stated.
Haneen Rizk, an worker in Gaza with the UN Relief Works Agency (UNRWA), which gives education, healthcare and different aid providers to Palestinian refugees within the occupied territories and surrounding states, stated that most individuals are simply ready to die.
She added that some households returned from Rafah to their properties and communities in central and northern Gaza. But with not less than 70 p.c of Gaza’s properties destroyed or broken, Rizk stated that most individuals in Rafah haven’t any different however to remain put.
“If Egypt opens the border … most people would leave,” she advised Al Jazeera.
“But right now, it’s so expensive for anyone to try and afford to get into Egypt. It requires about $5,000 and so few people have that kind of money.”
Egypt has sealed its border with Gaza since October 7. But Rizk was referring to personal bus firms that cost hefty charges, which few in Gaza can afford, to move Palestinians into Egypt.
“Game of chicken”
Since early within the struggle, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has publicly acknowledged that he is not going to take in Palestinian refugees out of concern that it will “end the Palestinian cause” and threaten Egypt’s nationwide safety. The Egyptian chief has referred to as for a ceasefire to avert a humanitarian disaster which may complicate additional his diplomatic relations with Israel.
“I call it a game of chicken,” stated Rahman.
“The Israelis are hoping the Egyptians will concede by opening up the border [if pressured] and the Egyptians are hoping that they can buy enough time until Washington [ends] the war,” he advised Al Jazeera.
Egypt might already be budging. Local rights teams have reported that Egypt is constructing a “buffer zone” in its Sinai area to soak up Palestinians anticipated to flee from Rafah. However, Egypt has not confirmed the studies.
CIA chief William Burns additionally just lately visited Egypt’s capital Cairo to debate the potential of a short lived truce that will enable Hamas and Israel to alternate captives.
Hamas captured about 240 Israelis throughout its assault on Israeli communities and navy outposts on October 7, whereas Israel holds about 10,000 Palestinian prisoners for “safety associated’ offences — though many haven’t even been charged. Netanyahu has insisted on rescuing Israelis in Gaza by way of navy means, regardless of objections from captives’ households who’re pleading for a deal.
Rahman believes that Netanyahu’s actual motive is to take care of an occupation pressure in Gaza for a substantial interval to forestall Palestinians from rebuilding their properties and to make sure that civilians stay underneath fixed concern. “Israel’s intention … is to keep the pressure on [Palestinians] to flee,” he stated.
Political ploy?
Netanyahu’s political survival can also be tied to sustaining the struggle in Gaza, in line with Mairav Zonszein, an knowledgeable on the Israel-Palestine battle with the International Crisis Group, a suppose tank devoted to battle prevention and backbone.
Netanyahu’s reputation is low and plenty of Israelis are calling for a nationwide election after the struggle. Any nationwide vote would doubtless take away Netanyahu from energy, in line with current opinion polls.
As a consequence, Zonszein believes that Netanyahu might delay a full-scale navy operation on Rafah to lengthen the struggle.
“All of this talk about Rafah – and leveraging it for a hostage deal – is just a way for Netanyahu to bide more and more time,” she stated.
Palestinians in Rafah hope Netanyahu is bluffing, however many imagine that an onslaught is imminent. Abou Ghanem, who misplaced his aunt, stated that he simply desires his three younger youngsters – two women and one boy – to outlive.
“Children are dying every day … and we’re living like animals,” he advised Al Jazeera. “Tell the world that we just want a ceasefire.”
https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2024/2/16/whats-behind-israels-threat-to-attack-rafah?traffic_source=rss
