“The Rafah crossing is a critical lifeline for Palestinians, and its reopening must guarantee safe movement in both directions, facilitate medical evacuations at scale, allow for the unhindered entry of aid and commercial goods, and fully enable the right of Palestinians to return to their land. Without these conditions, it risks becoming another tool of ethnic cleansing,” said Jamil Sawalmeh, Country Director for ActionAid Palestine.
“We still lack clarity on how many medical evacuations will be enabled each day, and what we have seen over the past months, and even today, is a drop in the ocean of vital care needed. Israeli forces have destroyed nearly all chances to get critical care inside Gaza and these continued obstructions are yet another way to kill people.
“There are also grave concerns about how people wanting to return will be processed at the crossing. Recent reporting has raised alarms about the ongoing construction of militarized sites near Rafah, which could involve biometric surveillance, and restricting movement further into the other parts of Gaza. These sites risk trapping Palestinians in holding facilities, where they would be controlled, surveilled and prevented from moving freely in their own land.
“Those funding and overseeing this process must ensure the Rafah crossing is used to protect Palestinian life, dignity and rights, not deepen forced displacement and suffering.”
ActionAid is calling on the European Union and Egyptian authorities to use their physical presence at the Rafah crossing as leverage to ensure Israeli authorities comply with their obligations under international law, including the protection of civilians, freedom of movement, medical evacuations at scale and the right of Palestinians to return.
[ENDS]
Jamil Sawalmeh, Country Director of ActionAid Palestine and Riham Jafari, Advocacy and Communications Coordinator at ActionAid Palestine, are available for interview.
Please contact Steph Wulf, Senior Communications Manager, ActionAid Australia:
About ActionAid
ActionAid is a global women’s rights organisation, working with women on the frontlines of injustice – including the climate crisis, conflicts, and humanitarian emergencies. We work with more than 41 million people living in over 70 countries, supporting women to transform their lives and their communities.