Three days after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Israel to stop its offensive in Rafah, south of Loopon May 28 there was a israeli airstrike that broke out a fire in a refugee camp, leaving around 75 dead and more than 300 people injured.
The Gaza Ministry of Health reported that the majority of the victims were women, children and the elderly. They also indicated that no hospital in Rafah had the capacity to care for that number of victims.
Israel continued its military offensive against Hamas in Rafah on Wednesday and indicated that it had assumed control of the corridor that separates the Palestinian territory from Egypt.
”There is no longer a safe place in Gaza. “This horror must stop”declared the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, after an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.
A city of refuge
Located in the southern part of the Strip and with an area of about 55 square kilometers, the town of Rafah was until May the only access to Gaza that was not controlled by Israel.
After the start of the current war – triggered by the surprise attack launched by Hamas against Israel on October 7 in which 1,200 people were killed and some 250 were taken hostage, according to Israeli authorities – Rafah became the last refuge of more than a million Palestinians, who have been displaced from their cities due to shelling and ground incursion by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
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As a result of the massive arrival of people, the population of Rafah increased from 280,000 inhabitants to more than 1.4 million people. The head of the Norwegian Refugee Council, Jan Egeland, classified her as “the largest displaced persons camp in the world.”
Political and economic implications
For the internationalist Farid Kahhat, the political attitude of the Western powers has been deplorable. “It is very likely that we are facing a situation that could be classified as genocide; The International Court of Justice agreed to prosecute Israel on the charge. What is worrying here is not only that the Western powers look the other way, but that they are Israel’s accomplices, since they provide it with the weapons with which it perpetrates violations of international humanitarian law.”
“The European Union achieved the necessary unanimity to summon Israel and discuss compliance with the association agreements, but it has taken eight months to do so and does not seem enough to stop Israel, which openly says that it now hopes the war will continue until the end. of the year to see if it can finally defeat Hamas. Furthermore, Israel’s bet is that it wins donald trump and have a more condescending attitude towards Israel’s policy in Gaza”, he added.
Regarding the economic implications, Farid Kahhat specified that for the moment the effect has not been that great. “When the Houthis in Yemen they attacked commercial vessels in the red sea, which connects through the Suez Canal to the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. This led many shipping companies to transport their commercial cargo around Africa and generate an increase in the cost of insurance due to the risk and, if the route of Africa, freight was increased; “That was an effect.”
He highlighted that if the conflict were to escalate between Israel and Iran, it would have a strong effect on the international price of gas and oil, which would impact Peru, which is a net importer.
A clear implication towards the country
An important implication for our country about the war in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas is the request of the International Court of Justice to cease its actions in Rafah. Since it is the same Court that granted us, through a ruling, a new maritime space (50,000 km²).
This ruling allows and provides the opportunity to develop new fisheries aimed at direct human consumption (deep-sea fishing), but also to strengthen integration with Chile. “In a country like Peru that is not a military power, this ruling is important because it managed to assert its rights through its own means. Furthermore, it shows that betting on institutions like the International Court of Justice works,” Farid Kahhat pointed out.
It may interest you
- Rafah, divided between war zone, ghost city and extreme overcrowding
- EU warns Israel that military operation in Rafah would put “great strain” on their relationship
- Misery deepens in Rafah as Israel intensifies offensive
Source: Gestion
Ricardo is a renowned author and journalist, known for his exceptional writing on top-news stories. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he is known for his ability to deliver breaking news and insightful analysis on the most pressing issues of the day.
