The displaced people of Rafah are determined to stay despite threats of an imminent Israeli military operation (Reuters)
There are fears among displaced Palestinians that the Israeli occupation army will launch a military operation in the city of Rafah in the far south of the Gaza Strip, which may result in mass massacres and crimes being committed against civilians.
Despite these widespread fears, the Palestinians in Rafah reject any attempts to displace them outside the Gaza Strip, affirm their adherence to their lands, and prefer “death in Gaza to emigrate to the Egyptian Sinai.”
In an angry tone and a sharp look, the elderly person, Raed Al-Sharafa (62 years old), says, “He died in Rafah and I will not go back to Sinai, by force and bombing. When we left and were displaced from our home, they bombed Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq School, and my son was martyred.”
He added, "I was displaced from Gaza to Rafah even though I refused to leave, but I was forced because of my son's children who were with me, and my son was arrested by the Israeli army."
Rafah is currently one of the most densely populated areas in Gaza (Reuters)
Seventh impossibility
He continues his speech, "If they kill me, I will not come out of Rafah. It is impossible and the seventh impossible, and this is the condition of the entire people, not just me," asking disapprovingly, "How do we want to go to Sinai and take our land?"
Azhar Hamdi, who was displaced from Gaza, agrees with her predecessor in rejecting the idea of displacement to Sinai, and says, “I die on the proud land of the Gaza Strip, and I never think about going out.”
She added, "Isn't it enough that we were displaced within our lands?! We do not and will not accept displacement to Sinai. They commit crimes against us wherever we are or go, and they do not care at all."
Azhar is surprised by the Israeli army’s insistence on committing massacres and genocide everywhere inside the Gaza Strip, without submitting to the International Court of Justice or responding to international pressure.
Massacres and extermination
In turn, elderly Hajj Ibrahim Awad (63 years old) confirms, “If the Israeli army penetrates into Rafah, it will commit massacres and genocide crimes against innocent civilians.”
In an angry tone, Haj Ibrahim added, “By God, we hear that the army is threatening to start a military operation in Rafah after we were displaced from the north... I mean, where do we want to go? There is no life left in life, and it is better for us to die here in our country,” rejecting the idea of displacing the Palestinians to the Sinai Peninsula. Egyptian.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last Wednesday that he had ordered Israeli forces to prepare an operation in Rafah, while Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant said - today, Monday - that "Rafah is the army's next target after Khan Yunis."
Warning of consequences
Last Wednesday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas warned US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken - during a meeting between them at the Authority’s headquarters in Ramallah - of “the consequences of any Israeli military operation in Rafah to pressure citizens to displace them.”
He renewed his rejection of "the forced displacement of the Palestinian people, whether in the Gaza Strip or in the West Bank, including Jerusalem."
Rafah is currently one of the most densely populated areas in Gaza, after the Israeli army forced Palestinians from the northern Gaza Strip to migrate there.
In recent weeks, warnings have been issued by international human rights and humanitarian organizations that any Israeli military activity in Rafah will lead to the loss of many lives.
Source: Anadolu Agency