RAFAH, (PIC)
In a new escalation of the ongoing Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, the Tal Al Sultan neighborhood west of Rafah is witnessing one of the fiercest military campaigns, where more than 50,000 Palestinians are under siege and bombardment with no chance of escape. Since the Israeli occupation announced a short deadline for evacuating the area, thousands of citizens have found themselves trapped without safe corridors, while Israeli forces continued to target them with shells and airstrikes.
With water, food, and medical supplies cut off, Tal Al Sultan has become a disaster-stricken area, where residents are suffering from the lack of the most basic necessities of life. Displaced individuals trying to flee the neighborhood reported that occupation forces shot at them while attempting to reach safer locations, resulting in injuries among civilians, including children and women.
Rescue teams have also been prevented from entering to save the wounded, in a scene that reinforces Israel’s policy of collective punishment against the Palestinians.
Scenes of death in the streets
Eyewitnesses spoke of scattered corpses in the alleys of Tal Al Sultan, where residents have been unable to bury or transport them due to the ongoing bombardment. In the absence of medical teams, many families have been forced to bury their dead in random holes, fearing that their bodies would decompose in the open or be scavenged by stray dogs.
One doctor working in field hospitals said, “The health situation in Rafah is catastrophic; there are no hospitals to receive the wounded, and many are bleeding to death in the streets.” The occupation army targets ambulances and prevents teams from performing their duties, meaning that the wounded are left to their inevitable fate, according to witnesses.
Displacement surrounded by death
The recurring scenes of forced displacement are happening once again, as thousands have had to leave their homes under bombardment, heading to areas that offer no safety or protection. Some families were forced to walk for long hours, carrying what little belongings they could, under the threat of drones that pursue and psychologically and physically trap them.
One displaced person said, “I did not leave my home willingly, but I had no other choice. We thought we were heading to a safe area, but the truth is that death is chasing us everywhere.”
Targeting rescue teams: documented war crimes
In a serious escalation, Red Crescent and civil defense teams disappeared while trying to enter Tal Al Sultan to save the wounded. According to local sources, contact was lost with four ambulances that entered the neighborhood, and the fate of their crews is still unknown. The Rafah municipality confirmed that the occupation prevents the evacuation of the injured, describing what is happening in Tal Al Sultan as “genocide” being carried out in front of the world.
In an official statement, it added, “This is a systematic targeting aimed at exterminating civilians and preventing any rescue efforts, which is a flagrant violation of all international and humanitarian laws.”
Calls to rescue the besieged
Amidst these massacres, humanitarian and medical organizations have issued an urgent call to the international community and the Red Cross for immediate intervention and the opening of safe corridors to evacuate the wounded and besieged civilians.
The General Directorate of Civil Defense in the Gaza Strip has warned of an unprecedented humanitarian disaster, confirming that more than 50,000 Palestinians are at risk of dying from starvation or as a result of direct bombardment.
International silence worsening the tragedy
As the Israeli attack on Tal Al Sultan continues, the international community remains complacent, limited to statements of condemnation without any actual action. Amidst this brutality, the voices of Palestinians continue to call for justice, asking: How long will the world remain silent in the face of these crimes?
