All Eyes on Rafah (news articles linked)

I am going to give some context, but this is my headline:

RAFAH, a 64 square kilometer city previously declared a safe zone, where 1.5 million Palestinians are currently seeking refuge, IS NOW BEING BOMBED.

This is a post I have been wanting to make, but have been reluctant about. This is an issue that many people have strong opinions about, or are otherwise indifferent, and it is a difficult discussion to have. Many conversations about this issue aren't constructive. I am here just to represent facts of the situation.

This article is supported by linked news articles.

Since the events of October 7th, 2023, Gaza has been under constant attack, including carpet bombing and the use of chemical weapons (white phosphorus).

The Israeli death toll on October 7th was 1,200. That death toll in May 2024 still remains at 1,200. The Palestinian death toll since October 7th has risen to over 30,000 Palestinians (30% of which are children), and an additional near 80,000 injured.

The Israeli defense would warn civilians about bombing sites, and would drop leaflets signifying what areas were safe zones so that civilians knew where to evacuate to. However, these leaflets have consistently misled Palestinians, declaring an area a "safe zone," but then bombing it shortly after.

The majority of the Gaza strip has been bombed. Rafah remained one of the only (if not the sole) safe zone left in Gaza. Northern Gaza has been obliterated. The only place left for refuge is Rafah, in the very south.

With 1.5 million people in Rafah, including 600,000 children, the result of bombing and attacking the city will be a massacre, and the last step in the genocide of Palestinians.

Qatar and Egypt had put forward a ceasefire order, which Hamas (the resistance effort in Palestine) had agreed to, and proposed to Israel. This would call for a temporary ceasefire, a truce between the two forces, but Netanyahu refused the proposal. It has also caused further conflict between Israel and Qatar, and the situation is getting worse.

When reading over Netanyahu's statements, it is important to remember and acknowledge who has the power in this dynamic. The total (reported) number of Palestinians that have been either killed or injured in the war is over 100,000. The number of the dead alone is over 30,000, and the number of Israelis that have died remains at 1,200.

1,200 is still a significant number. I do not want to brush over the fact that 1,200 deaths is still 1,200 people, but we must acknowledge the fact that this war is not in any way a fair fight. Netanyahu claims he won't agree to a ceasefire because he does not want to give Hamas the chance to rebuild. I want to make this very clear.

They have nothing left.

Nearly every place in Gaza has been bombed. There is nothing left for Hamas to rebuild anything with. They have no hospitals. They are running out of medical supplies. They no longer have anethesia. Surgeries, injury treatment, and births are being done without anesthesia. They are running out of food due to forced famine. Children are dying of starvation and malnutrition.

Why is Netanyahu shaking in his boots because of Hamas? They have nothing left.

This needs to be said: Netanyahu is not worried about Hamas. His only aim is to commit genocide against Palestinians. He is out for blood. He does not care about preventing civilian deaths. This is, and always has been, about destroying and ethnically cleansing Palestine.

We are done talking about October 7th and "proportionate responses" and whether or not Israel has a right to defend itself. It's quite clear what the answer is.

1.5 million people are in Rafah. 600,000 children. They have already begun attacking them. This war is about to end, and it's not going to end right.

Are you going to sit and watch it happen?

Thank you for reading. I appreciate everyone who has taken the time to read this to the end. If you have any questions, or want to spark a respectful or constructive debate, I welcome you to comment.

May God have mercy on them all.