Rafah in Ruins: 70% of Infrastructure Destroyed

Amid the ongoing Israeli brutal aggression and war of genocide against anything that is Palestinian, the Israeli occupying forces (IOF) booby-trapped and destroyed the main building of the Rafah Municipality in the centre of Rafah city. After the IOF soldiers posted a video documenting destruction of the municipal seat, the Rafah Municipality issued a statement condemning this act of aggression in the strongest terms. 

The municipality affirmed that destruction of the city hall, a facility that provides essential and regulatory services to the population, reflects the IOF flouting of international and humanitarian laws. The statement stressed that the video footage was released a few weeks after another video, which showed the blowing-up of the main water well and reservoir in the Tal as-Sultan neighbourhood. This demonstrates Israel’s policy of allowing a free hand to the IOF soldiers to commit crimes in defiance of international laws. 

According to the municipality, the bombed building consisted of five floors, all housing municipal departments and section. It was located in an area under the IOF control, so residents and municipal staff were forced to flee. The municipality called on the international community and human rights organizations to document and prosecute the IOF crimes and exert pressure to bring an end to the war of genocide. 

The municipality highlighted that over 100,000 citizens were at risk of dehydration and spreading pandemics due to the military operations. Indiscriminate shelling impeded the municipal staff ability to provide basic services to eastern and central neighbourhoods. With the exception of the neighbourhoods in the Ash-Shuka and An-Nassr towns, the municipality made clear that it was only capable of serving four of 16 neighbourhoods within its jurisdiction. 

Despite collective intimidation and threats against Rafah residents, 900,000 citizens are still in Rafah, including 100,000 living in eastern and central neighbourhoods Targeting eastern neighbourhoods, displacement forced citizens to gather in the Al-Mawasi zone, agricultural areas, and evacuated Israeli settlements, which not prepared to receive these citizens. 

Displacement sites lack the basic necessities of life. These are vacant spaces and unconnected to water and infrastructure networks, exacerbating the suffering of displaced people. 

The municipality reiterated its call for the international community and United Nations agencies to provide serious and rapid intervention to end the deteriorating human suffering in Rafah and all Gaza governorates due to the ongoing war, siege on crossings, and ban on humanitarian access.