Palestinian families living in tents off humanitarian aid in Rafah - where a 1kg bag of flour (if you can find one) now costs nearly £40 – know their lives are literally in the hands of those negotiating a truce thousands of miles away.
Most of the people in this overcrowded city bordering Egypt have already been displaced because of the intense fighting and vast destruction in Gaza caused by Israel. Families live on the streets, in school and hospital courtyards or in the squares.
There are no basements to seek shelter in, few walls to crouch behind. There is nowhere to run, there is nowhere to hide.
Israel has vowed a ground assault into Rafah – where an estimated 1.5 million people are crammed into a few square kilometres – seen by Tel Aviv as the last stronghold of Hamas, responsible for the 7 October attack in southern Israel.
The United Nations said any offensive into the town would be slaughter.
In the north of Gaza, much of which has already been flattened by Israel’s advance, Oxfam said yesterday: “The risk of genocide was mounting.” Some 300,000 people still live there, despite being almost entirely cut off from aid for four months.
People in Gaza City are reportedly eating grass and are making bread out of animal feed. Oxfam said there is now “catastrophic hunger” with people drinking toilet water and eating wild plants.
Denne historien er fra February 28, 2024-utgaven av The Independent.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra February 28, 2024-utgaven av The Independent.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
NFL faces compelling decision as London Games return with Jets vs Vikings
The London Games are back with perhaps the finest NFL quarterback of the last decade and the highest-paid wide receiver in the league set to feature.
Jota seals Liverpool win but talisman Alisson limps off
Alisson Becker remains the king of Selhurst Park, but if he and Virgil van Dijk showed what Liverpool’s title bid will be built on this season, a win at Crystal Palace was perhaps also another indication of why the Reds spent part of this summer looking at the future.
Kovacic's new eye for goal hides Man City's fragility
No prizes for guessing who Manchester City’s top scorer is. Yet the identity of the man second in their standings comes as more of a surprise.
Dominant Saka shows he can lead Arsenal to the title
A classic case of a goal being the worst thing a lesser team could do. Southampton’s joy in Cameron Archer giving them a shock lead only served to awaken Arsenal, who went from a very flat display to one where they came at the visiting side from all angles.
Taliban profits as flights return to Afghan airspace after Iran missile attack
The number of international flights passing through Talibancontrolled Afghan airspace reached a record high this week in the aftermath of Iran's missile attack against Israel.
Villagers torch police camp after claim girl, 9, was raped then murdered in India
A local police camp in India was set on fire by a mob yesterday, just hours after the alleged rape and murder of a nine-year-old girl came to light.
Israel expands airstrikes to bombard northern Lebanon
More than one million people flee homes as fate of man thought to be replacement for Hezbollah leader unclear
Palace 'checking in daily' on teenage cancer patient who shared a hug with princess
A teenage cancer patient given weeks to live is being checked on daily by Kensington Palace after she met the Prince and Princess of Wales last week, her mother has revealed.
Parkrun celebrates 20 years
Event has grown from 13 runners to cover 2,500 locations
Hurricane Kirk aftermath to batter England and Wales
Britain is bracing for the aftermath of a hurricane currently intensifying in the Atlantic Ocean after the Met Office warned its influence will create a period of unsettled weather.
