Pena Popy: All Eyes On Rafah: A Call of Hope and Tension in Gaza
The latest conflict in Rafah, Gaza, has seen a significant escalation with Israel launching a ground offensive in the face of resistance from Hamas. The Israeli military ordered thousands of Palestinians to leave Rafah amid growing fears of an attack on the southern Gaza city, home to 1.4 million people displaced by Israel’s war on Gaza. The order was issued on Monday (05/06), ahead of Hamas agreeing to a ceasefire proposal in the seven-month-old Gaza war, put forward by Qatari and Egyptian mediators.
Rafah, A Conflict-ridden area adjacent to Egypt
The Israeli military took control of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt last week. Their tanks and artillery have been deployed towards the city of Rafah in southern Gaza. In early May 2024, following a deadly rocket attack by Hamas that killed three Israeli soldiers, Israel stepped up airstrikes in Rafah that left 16 Palestinian civilians dead (Aljazeera, 2024).
Looking at the location and escalation of the conflict, Rafah is a vital region as it is the southernmost region in Gaza that borders the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. Rafah is also a shelter for millions of refugees from other areas in Gaza to avoid Israeli attacks. In addition, Rafah is the only official route for Gazans to enter or exit Gaza, especially when other borders are tightly controlled by Israel, making the region crucial for the movement of people and logistics.
Since parts of Rafah have been ‘controlled’ by the Israeli military, logistical mobility also depends on the arrangements on the route. NPR (2024) explained that Israel had opened the crossing for trucks carrying logistics and foodstuffs, but hunger and shortages were still felt by Palestinian refugees. This further builds public suspicion about what is happening and organized by those who control Rafah.
Israel attempts to ‘expel’ Rafah civilians from their own land
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is facing increasing pressure from the international community and world leaders to call off the attack on Rafah. The Israeli government also issued an evacuation order for Rafah residents, an action that was condemned by various international parties as inhumane, and potentially causing a further humanitarian crisis. As expressed by UN human rights official, Volker Türk, who called the evacuation order contrary to international humanitarian law and could constitute forced displacement considered a war crime (OHCHR, 2024).
According to Leila Fadel, a reporter from NPR (2024), Israel is expanding its coverage to other places in an attempt to prevent Hamas from regrouping and organizing its forces there. Countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and various international organizations continue to call on Israel to leave and avoid further escalation, given the devastating impact on civilians already suffering from the blockade and ongoing attacks.
“All Eyes on Rafah” resonates to gain global attention
“All Eyes on Rafah” refers to the global attention focused on the Rafah border crossing, which is the only exit from the Gaza Strip. This area, which is about 30 kilometers from Gaza, is often the center of attention in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, especially when there is an escalation of violence or a humanitarian crisis in Gaza. “All Eyes on Rafah” has become popular, asking the global community and institutions to pay attention to the attacks on the city. The call is found massively, especially on social media such as X/Twitter and Instagram in the form of hashtags.
During the conflict between Israel and Hamas, many international actors was focused on Rafah to see if Egypt would open the border to provide access to humanitarian aid or accept refugees. These border decisions are often seen as an indicator of how the situation in Gaza may develop and how the international community may react to the crisis. However, getting to that stage is also difficult, because the Rafah area itself has been dominated by Israel, so the role played by Egypt must be stronger to accommodate the various needs in the Rafah area.
“All Eyes on Rafah” also illustrates the tension in the city whose fate may be determined by the success or failure of negotiations mediated by Egypt, the US and Qatar regarding a possible ceasefire agreement, including the release of the remaining Israeli hostages by Hamas. Here are some attachments of civilian responses to the events that took place in Rafah, reported by Aljazeera (2024):
Mohammad Al Najar: “People no longer have anywhere to go. No area is safe. All that remains in Gaza is death. I wish I could erase these last seven months from my memory. Many of our dreams and hopes have faded.”
Aminah Adwan: “The biggest genocide will take place, the biggest catastrophe will take place in Rafah. call on the whole Arab world to interfere in a ceasefire. Let them interfere and save us from what we are in.”
Meanwhile, various responses were also issued by other countries. For example, Egypt, through its Foreign Ministry, urged Israel to apply the “highest levels of self-restraint” and immediately stop further escalation with ongoing arms negotiations and prisoner release. Jordan, through its Foreign Minister, also said that Israel’s attack on Rafah was a form of “massacre that cannot be condoned by the international community”. The European Union also highlighted that Israel’s evacuation order against civilians in Rafah signaled the worst: more war and famine. Then there are many other countries, global figures and artists as well as the international community and media who are paying great attention to what is happening in Rafah.
All eyes are now on Rafah, a city that bears witness to struggle, fortitude, and hope. The tension in Rafah is a reminder that behind every conflict, there is a hope of courage and resilience that is highlighted to the world. With all the attention now focused, let us hope for a better future for Rafah and those who live in it, where peace and humanity can flourish again.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions contained in Pena Popy’s article are solely those of the authors and do not reflect the position of the FPCI Chapter of Universitas Jenderal Soedirman as an institution.
Writer: Muhamad Rizky Avila
Designer: Olga Laura
References
Ahmed, N. & Rabbani, M. (2024, May 7). Palestine This Week: All eyes on Rafah. Middle East Monitor. Retrieved from https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20240507-palestine-this-week-all-eyes-on-rafah/
Alao, L. (2024, May 14). What does all eyes on Rafah mean? Israel-Gaza war enters eighth month. The Standard. Retrieved from https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/all-eyes-on-rafah-meaning-israel-gaza-war-b1157366.html
Aljazeera. (2024). World reacts to Israel’s Rafah evacuation order. Retrieved from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/5/6/world-reacts-to-israels-rafah-evacuation-order
Martin, M. & Frayer L. (2024, May 13). With eyes on Rafah, Israel renews attacks elsewhere to prevent Hamas from regrouping. NPR. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2024/05/13/1250855122/with-eyes-on-rafah-israel-renews-attacks-elsewhere-to-prevent-hamas-from-regroup
Motamedi, M. & Najjar F. (2024, May 9). Israel’s war on Gaza updates: Troops met with Hamas fire in Rafah Operation. Aljazeera. Retrieved from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/5/9/israels-war-on-gaza-live-biden-admits-israel-used-us-bombs-on-civilian
Ratriani, V. (2024, May 8). Apa Arti All Eyes on Rafah yang Ramai di Media Sosial?. Kontan Internasional. Retrieved from https://internasional.kontan.co.id/news/apa-arti-all-eyes-on-rafah-yang-ramai-di-media-sosial
The New York Times. (2024). All Eyes on the Rafah Border Crossing. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/24/podcasts/headlines-rafah-border-crossing-egypt.html
United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. (2024). Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territory: Rafah threat is inhumane, says UN Human Rights Chief. Retrieved from https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2024/05/israeloccupied-palestinian-territory-rafah-threat-inhumane-says-un
