It is urgent to reopen the Rafah crossing
ActionAid: “We call on the international community to act”:
May 8, 2024 – Due to the intensification of aerial bombardments on the city and the interruption of the distribution of aid, the population of Rafah is terrified and in a state of panic. Thousands of people – including some of our colleagues and partners – are fleeing after the evacuation order was issued for the eastern part of the city on Monday, but there is nowhere safe to go, nor do the areas that have been designated as “safe zones” have the infrastructure or capacity to accommodate them.
Fears are growing that the already dire humanitarian situation is about to get significantly worse as the delivery and distribution of aid is disrupted by ongoing military activity. According to a joint statement from the NGOs, no aid entered yesterday through the two key crossings in Gaza and, while the Israeli army declared the reopening of the Kerem Shalom crossing, the Rafah crossing remains closed. With much of the population facing catastrophic levels of hunger, any reduction in aid risks pushing the population further into famine. We demand the immediate reopening of the Rafah crossing.
Amjad Al Shawa, is located in Rafah and is the director of the Palestinian NGO Network and partner of ActionAid Palestine. In a voice message, he told ActionAid of his fears about the situation in Rafah: “We have serious concerns about the military ground operation in Rafah and Israel’s control of the Rafah crossing. The shortage of medicines, foodstuffs and other necessary items will lead to a further worsening of the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, especially for the patients and wounded who are in dire need of medical care outside the Gaza Strip, as this will lead to deterioration of their health conditions”.
Riham Jafari, Advocacy and Communications Coordinator at ActionAid Palestinehe has declared: “If the Israeli army continues with a large-scale ground invasion in Rafah, it will be a real disaster. There is no doubt that an unthinkable number of men, women and children will die. We call on the Israeli authorities to abandon this catastrophic plan and demand that all states do everything possible to prevent a military assault on Rafah. The international community has repeatedly warned that this cannot be allowed to happen. Now is the time for actionking”.
For information:
ActionAid Italia Press Office
Alice Grecchi 3395030480 – [email protected]
Claudia Bruno 3311336562 – [email protected]
