Israel’s War on Gaza: ‘Rafah Is the
End of the llne, Nowhere to Flee’
Urooba Jamal and Umut Uras / Al Jazeera
February 17, 2024) — Gaza’s largest functioning hospital in Khan Younis remains under siege by Israeli troops with reports of medical staff being beaten and aid being blocked.
“Rafah is the end of the line, there is nowhere else to flee,” aid group Médecins Sans Frontières warns as 1.4 million in the southernmost city face Israeli attacks, starvation, and disease.
US President Biden says he hopes Israel “will not make any massive land invasion” of Rafah, and “my expectation [is] that’s not gonna happen”.
Israel’s attacks on Gaza have killed at least 28,775 Palestinians and wounded 68,552 since October 7. The death toll in Israel from the October 7 Hamas-led attacks stands at 1,139.
As Israel Attacks Rafah, How Will Egypt Respond?
Will Israel invade Rafah? At Gaza’s southernmost point, 1.4 million Palestinians are trapped after being pushed there during months of relentless Israeli attacks.
That’s put the spotlight on Egypt, which shares a border and complicated history with Gaza.
‘Unclear’ if Netanyahu Is Listening to Biden
US President Joe Biden said his team is working to get a framework deal in place to get “a pause” in Israel’s war on Gaza. He is hopeful a deal is in place that would allow for humanitarian aid to get in and infrastructure to be built. And unlike the pause in November, he is hopeful this could be an extended truce to last at least six weeks.
But it’s unclear if the Israeli prime minister is listening to the US president. Historically he has not, especially when it comes to the US cautioning about how to conduct the Israeli military campaign. The US pushing for “surgical” tactics, but instead Israel launching a campaign that has resulted in more than 28,000 Palestinian casualties.
The United States has pushed to allow for an American shipment of flour that the Israelis have agreed to let in, but to date that has not been let in.
Also there is the concern the two-state solution has been rejected by Israel – one of the biggest points of contention between the two leaders.
