Rafah, Gaza: Tens of Thousands Flee Amid Chaos as Hospitals Close and Aid Supplies Run Out
Tens of thousands of exhausted and displaced Palestinians have evacuated Rafah, Gaza Strip due to the seizure of the nearby border crossing with Egypt by Israel.
The main hospital has closed, leaving little medical care for the population suffering from malnutrition, illnesses, and wounds.
Aid workers are scrambling to help as fuel and supplies have been cut off.
Families are uncertain where to go next, with options including overcrowded cities or a "humanitarian zone" with limited resources.
The evacuation has resulted in crowded roads and confusion.
The possibility of a full-scale invasion adds to the panic and chaos.
A UN school in Rafah, Gaza, which had served as a shelter for hundreds of people displaced by the conflict, was evacuated due to Israeli bombardment.
The school was one of many temporary shelters in the city, which had a population of 250,000 before the war but had swelled to over 1.4 million.
With no safe places left, families had been relying on aid groups for food and other essentials.
On Monday, Israel issued evacuation orders for eastern Rafah and sent tanks to seize the Rafah crossing with Egypt, shutting it down.
Israeli army tanks were also positioned near the border with Israel in preparation for an offensive.
Nuzhat Jarjer, a resident, expressed her concern about the safety of her family and the lack of safe places in the city.
Israel is considering an all-out invasion of Rafah in the Gaza Strip to destroy Hamas, but international efforts are ongoing for a ceasefire.
The US opposes the invasion due to concerns for civilian safety.
The conflict has resulted in over 34,800 Palestinian deaths and displaced 80% of Gaza's population.
Confusion reigns as Palestinians fear a greater assault and tens of thousands have fled their homes.
In the aftermath of clashes in Rafah, southern Gaza, tent camps have been dismantled and have reappeared further north in Deir Al-Balah.
Displaced Palestinians have also moved to Khan Younis, which was heavily damaged during a months-long Israeli ground assault.
Ghada Alhaddad of Oxfam described the situation in central Gaza as chaotic, with new camps springing up in streets, cemeteries, and on the beach.
Suze van Meegen of the Norwegian Refugee Council reported that Rafah, where she is based, feels deserted.
The Israeli military instructed evacuees to go to a "humanitarian zone" in Muwasi.
The UN estimates that the Gaza Strip zone currently houses approximately 450,000 people, yet there are insufficient new facilities, including tents, medical centers, and food, according to military announcements.
The ground is covered with sewage and solid waste due to the scarcity of sanitation facilities.
Clean water is in short supply, and temperatures can reach up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius), leading to dehydration.
The water quality is described as "horrifically bad" with high fecal content, causing acute jaundice, possibly due to hepatitis.
Testing capabilities are lacking, and there is a severe shortage of tents for the newly arrived population among aid groups.
Iyad Al-Masry and his family were forced to sell aid food to buy a tent in Rafah, Gaza, costing nearly $400.
They struggled to find water and could not afford the $1 per gallon selling price.
Two teenage girls with survivable injuries died due to malnutrition-related complications, according to surgeon Nick Maynard.
Alexandra Saieh from Save The Children described the number of children in Rafah who have lost limbs as "staggering." The families are waiting for God's mercy and struggling with malnutrition, infections, and high prices for basic necessities.
The text reports that Rafah's main hospital, Youssef Al-Najjar, was evacuated on Tuesday due to fears of Israeli military raids, despite no official evacuation orders.
Israel alleges Hamas used hospitals for military purposes, but this is denied by Hamas and Gaza health officials.
Israeli tank shells hit a nearby hospital, Kuwaiti Hospital, wounding several children.
The closure of Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings has cut off the entry of food, supplies, and fuel for aid trucks and generators, with aid groups warning of imminent shutdowns.
People in Gaza cannot leave due to the conflict and the closure of borders, and essential services are at risk of running out.
Israel reopened the Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza on Wednesday, but aid trucks were not able to enter due to the lack of workers on the Gaza side to unload and reload the cargo.
Palestinian workers trying to reach the crossing were shot at and several were wounded.
Hamas also shelled the area and claimed to be targeting nearby troops.
The UN's World Food Program has been cut off from its Gaza food warehouse due to the closure of crossings, and is currently unable to restock it.
Van Meegen, representing the Norwegian Refugee Council, expresses concern about the lack of humanitarian aid supplies.
With current supplies limited, he questions how prioritization can be made when nearly every person is dependent on the aid.
Translation:
Translated by AI
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