Aid worker says Palestinians have lost their 'last sense of safety,' as Israel warns of Rafah invasion
More than 28,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel's military offensive began: Gaza health ministry
When aid worker Yousef Hammash fled with his family to Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, he — like many other Palestinians running from Israel's brutal offensive — was looking to get out of harm's way.
But as Israel threatens a ground invasion of the city, Hammash says there's no safe place left in Gaza.
"Since they start to talk about expanding their military operation in Rafah, even that last sense of safety [we had] fleeing from a place to the other … we lost it," he told The Current.
More than 28,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel began its military incursion into Gaza in October 2023. The Gaza health ministry says more than 12,300 of those killed were children.
Israel claims its offensive into Gaza is justified due to the Oct. 7 attack, in which Hamas militants killed 1,200 people and took another 240 people hostage. But Israel has faced criticism from human rights agencies for its offensive, as well as accusations of genocide.
On Monday, Israel announced it rescued two hostages during a special raid into Rafah — but Gaza health officials say the series of strikes killed dozens of Palestinians.
Now, there's a growing threat of a ground invasion of the city in the southern Gaza strip, despite the EU, UN and U.S. warning Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to launch the planned invasion. That threat has people like Hammash and others in Rafah worried about what's to come — and where to go.
Hammash, who works as an advocacy officer for the Norwegian Refugee Council, spoke with guest host Rebecca Zandbergen from Rafah. Here's part of their conversation.
Yousef, tell us what your night was like and the morning.
Alhamdulillah, last night was a bit acceptable [compared] to the previous night when the Israelis start this massive operation.
In Rafah, [there's] continuous bombardment since midnight up to the early morning, and they targeted more than 15 houses and several other areas.
That was a huge concern for us because everyone's hoping that this military offensive is not going to take place in Rafah; and [the bombardment] was an indication that they are going to expand it.
Actually, we didn't have any clue about what was going on because the bombing was everywhere and our understanding was that they are starting officially in Rafah.
As you've mentioned, there were heavy airstrikes on the weekend. Israeli forces … rescued two hostages. At least 60 people in Rafah were killed. What was it like?
All of that started suddenly and after the middle of the night at around 1 a.m., and all what we are hearing is massive explosions and like almost an earthquake. The land was shaking. But unfortunately, we didn't know what's going on around us because … we didn't have electricity or connection to understand what's going on around us.
You have two small children. If you yourself and everyone there doesn't understand what's happening, what do you tell your kids?
Unfortunately, what my children and the children in Gaza ... are going through [is a] horrific, terrifying experience and circumstances dealing with what's going on around us.
We ran out of justifications in front of our children about what's around us and what's going on and why we are here. Everyone in Rafah at least has been displaced and forced to flee up to five times.
Imagine as adults, we don't have the mental stability to deal with the situation around us, so imagine how is going to be a situation for our children. They are paying the highest price, unfortunately.
And so how do you react when you hear Benjamin Netanyahu say there will be safe passage for civilians to leave Rafah?
The question is where. All over Gaza is a land of rubble; 60 per cent of the housing units were destroyed in Gaza. The remaining 40 per cent [are] mainly in Rafah. So it's a land of rubble.
There is no access for the northern part and Gaza City. The only area available now is the middle area…. The middle area is already stuffed with people, more than half a million or more.
They exceed the number of that because since few days we are seeing a lot of families, those families evacuating currently from Rafah to the middle area.
There's not enough space in the middle area to have all that amount of people. Even in Rafah, as a city, there is not enough space for all that amount of people who are currently displaced in Rafah.
Literally, everything is destroyed ... all over Gaza. There is no infrastructure or no access for water. Even here and [in] Rafah, we have the same issue that we are dealing with.
Families since weeks [have been] trying to adapt themselves during these circumstances that we are going through — at least just to cover their basic needs, which is having access for water, or at least using a bathroom, or managing the basic needs for the children.
But now, that option that we have here in Rafah, we will lose it. If you look to the northern part of Gaza and Gaza City, there is literally a famine there. People used to eat animal food and even the animal foods is not available anymore.
So what are the options that have been put in place in front of us as people who are displaced in Rafah? We don't have an option. It's unrealistic that we are going to [be] displaced … because there is not enough space for anyone to use.
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Q&A has been edited for length and clarity. Produced by Dawna Dingwall and Niza Lyapa Nondo
