More than 100,000 Palestinians have fled the southern Gaza city of Rafah this week, according to the United Nations. The exodus comes as Israel gears up for a major offensive in the region.
A spokesperson for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) stated that approximately 110,000 civilians have fled after Israeli tanks entered Rafah on Monday. Despite appeals from Israel’s allies to refrain from launching an offensive and instead agree to a ceasefire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists they have “no choice” but to proceed with the attack, citing concerns that Hamas will escalate its attacks against Israel if left unchecked.
Meanwhile, Georgios Petropoulos, the head of the Gaza sub-office of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, described the situation in the enclave as reaching “unprecedented levels of emergency”. He warned that dwindling food and fuel supplies, a result of Israeli troops closing the last remaining border crossings into Gaza, could bring aid operations to a halt within days.
In a separate development, climate activist Eden Golan, 21, attended a Stop Israel demonstration in Sweden, wearing a keffiyeh—a scarf commonly used to show support for Palestine. Golan, who grew up in Russia, expressed her gratitude for representing Israel, stating, “I could not have asked for a better year to be representing my country.”
Regarding the conflict, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel must destroy Hamas to prevent further violence. He emphasized the need to protect the country and prevent future attacks, saying, “Rational-minded people understand that we don’t have a choice.”
As the situation in Gaza remains critical, the UN General Assembly is set to vote on a resolution granting membership to Palestine, a move that has been met with resistance from Israel and its allies. Meanwhile, Israel is preparing for a major offensive in Rafah, despite calls for a ceasefire from its closest allies, including the US and the UK.