The Rafah Crossing
Lately, it has been beyond gut-wrenching when I try to monitor the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. I have found it difficult to even open any social media platforms simply because of the horrific images plastered across my screen. However, if I am this distraught simply from looking at images and hearing horrific explanations of what is taking place in Gaza, I can not imagine the fear and vast range of emotions Palestinians must be feeling while surrounded by these horrors. To briefly summarize the current situation, on October 13, Israel warned Northern Gazans to evacuate toward the South, threatening Gazans and their safety unless they quickly evacuated.
This would mean 1.1 million people would need to evacuate within the coming days, regardless of the fact that many Gazans may not have transportation or be able to leave safely. An ongoing war is taking place in their home and bombs are flying as they try to escape, yet there is nowhere to escape. Israel is blocking off all exits from Gaza and the last remaining exit is called the Rafah Crossing. That being said, even as Gazans try to escape to safety they are still being attacked and killed in areas that are expected to be safe, such as hospitals. What is the international community doing to help Palestinians escape this ethnic cleansing? Where can Palestinians possibly turn to for safety? My hope is that Egypt will open up the Rafah Crossing for Palestinians and guarantee their safety from Israel.
The Rafah Crossing exists between the North border of Egypt and the South border of the Gaza Strip. It is heavily monitored and very few people are allowed through without an official pass from Egypt and Hamas. However, this may be one of the only areas where Gazans can escape the daily terrors of war. Egypt has yet to open the Rafah crossing and is instead asking for assistance from Israel to allow humanitarian aid to be given to Gazans through this border, but Egypt does not want to accept refugees at this time. This is a terrifying humanitarian problem for all countries and I hope to see global powers such as the US and the UK stand up against it. Thus far, little action to provide aid and resources to Palestine has been taken. These refugees deserve aid, a safe place to reside without the fear of being murdered, and simply to be treated as human beings.