Despite the recent evacuation order, Action Against Hunger is currently maintaining its presence in Rafah and continues to work to provide humanitarian aid to the population of the Gaza Strip while ensuring the safety of its staff.
Action Against Hunger fears that a ground offensive in Rafah will cause thousands of deaths, the forced displacement of more than a million Palestinians and that the delivery of vital aid to the most vulnerable will be further obstructed.
So far, around 100,000 people in eastern Rafah have been ordered to evacuate, including several Action Against Hunger staff. We are doing everything in our power to support them in this extremely difficult situation and have already identified alternative shelter for our staff and their families in a safer area so that they can continue their unwavering support to the most vulnerable.
“The population in Rafah is already facing hunger, disease and trauma. In the event of an offensive, in a context where we are barely managing to structure the little aid that arrives in Gaza, the consequences will be catastrophic”explains Natalia Anguera, head of Action Against Hunger operations for the Middle East.
More than a million people in Rafah have already lost everything: their homes, their savings, everything they have built over the past decades. Health centers, schools and public services are destroyed.
“There are a lot of people crowded together in places devoid of anything. Our colleagues and the residents of Rafah have mostly already moved several times to escape the bombings and they have to move again when there are no really safe areas to go to. » adds Natalia Anguera.
Despite continued warnings from the international community about the catastrophic impact of a ground offensive in Rafah, the recent evacuation order will also significantly hamper the ability of humanitarian organizations to meet the basic needs of the population. We call on all stakeholders to do everything in their power to ensure safe and unhindered humanitarian access. Without it, the humanitarian consequences could be even more catastrophic than during the last seven months.
“ Action Against Hunger urgently recalls the need for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, an immediate release of hostages, and safe, effective and unhindered humanitarian access. It is essential to protect the civilian population and civilian infrastructure in order to avoid another catastrophe »concludes Natalia Anguera.
Action Against Hunger has been present in the Occupied Palestinian Territory for 20 years and in Gaza since 2005. For seven months, Action Against Hunger has worked tirelessly to provide a humanitarian response to the conflict.
