Testimony
Gaza Strip: in Rafah, the population fears an Israeli ground offensive
In Gaza, after more than five months of war, the death toll now exceeds 31,000, and there is still no truce in sight.
Efforts are intensifying to try to deliver food aid to the population.
In the meantime, Israeli bombing continues.
In Rafah, where the majority of the Gazan population is located, there are fears of an Israeli ground offensive.
In Rafah, in the Gaza Strip, Thursday March 14, 2024. AP - Fatima Shbair
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Like nearly 1.5 million Gazans, Asma is displaced in Rafah with her family.
Originally from Khan Younès, she fled the fighting.
Since the start of the war and on the orders of the Israeli army, the population of the
Gaza Strip
has moved south until reaching Rafah, and its border with Egypt closed.
Impossible to go any further.
And yet, Israeli leaders claim to be determined to attack this city, “
the last bastion of Hamas
” according to them.
“
Until now, we haven’t understood anything.
The Israelis say they want to go in and carry out an operation in Rafah.
And so the refugees or people from Rafah have to go to the west
,” she tells
Sami Boukhelifa
, our correspondent in Jerusalem.
Read alsoGaza Strip: “We have come to eat wild plants”
“
We don’t know what the future holds…
”
Except that west of Rafah is the Mediterranean Sea.
“
The simplest thing,”
argues Asma
, “would be to let us return to our homes in the center and north of the Gaza Strip
.”
“
If they allow us to return, then we will return,” she continues.
Our apartment was damaged by the fighting, but we will repair the doors and windows and move back into our apartment.
But until now, they are prohibiting people from returning to Khan Yunis.
»
But two days ago, Asma defied this ban.
She returned home to collect some things.
There was almost nothing left.
His apartment was ransacked.
“
When we arrived in Khan Younès, I saw my apartment, my room in this state… I didn’t take anything.
I left everything.
It hurt my heart.
There is no more door, it has been destroyed.
The thieves will be able to return to the apartment and take the rest of the furniture, the refrigerator... On one side there is war, on the other, the thieves.
And we don’t know what the future holds for us…
”
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Testimony
Gaza Strip: “We have come to eat wild plants”