Israel-Hamas war: Thousands fleeing Rafah as Israeli military campaign intensifies
Palestinians look at the destruction after an Israeli strike on a residential building in Rafah, Gaza Strip
UN officials on Friday (Feb 16) said thousands of Palestinians are fleeing the southern Gazan city of Rafah as intense Israeli bombardment continues. The statement from the UN came as airstrikes on Rafah killed at least 13 people overnight, according to hospital officials.
It is speculated that 1.4 million people have made their way to Rafah after being displaced from other territories. Hundreds of thousands are living in sprawling tent camps.
Speaking to reporters, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said people were moving in large numbers towards Deir al-Balah, which is roughly 16 kilometres (10 miles) north of Rafah.
“In Rafah, humanitarian conditions have become increasingly severe, with continued reports of people stopping aid trucks to take food,” he said.
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“Vulnerable segments of the population include children, the elderly, and people with underlying health conditions, are particularly susceptible to the risk of malnutrition,” he added.
Dujarric added that the Israeli military campaign has severely hindered the delivery of aid to the besieged territory.
Israel’s stance
Israel says it will ensure the region is evacuated before it is targeted. However, experts say there is nowhere to go due to the vast devastation left behind.
On allegations of genocide, Israel strongly denies the claims by Hamas and Gazan authorities. Israel says it only targets Hamas militants and does all to spare civilians. The Jewish nation also claims that Hamas’ tactic of embedding in civilian areas makes it difficult to avoid civilian casualties.
The number of Palestinians killed during the war in Gaza has surpassed 28,000 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza.
UN court rejects motion against Rafah offensive
Meanwhile, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Friday dismissed a motion brought by South Africa to impose urgent measures to safeguard Rafah.
The top UN court said in a statement that the “perilous situation” in Rafah “demands immediate and effective implementation of the provisional measures" that it ordered on January 26.
However, the court warned that Israel “remains bound to fully comply with its obligations under the Genocide Convention.”
(With inputs from agencies)