As the world watches even more gruesome scenes from Gaza and prepares for a horror of unimaginable scale in the southern city of Rafah, it is instructive to recount what has happened so far. In November, Israel ordered over a million people to flee northern Gaza. This is a crime under international law called “forced displacement”. Gaza is walled in on all sides and the sea, which is also heavily guarded by Israeli drones and war ships. There is no escape from this concentration camp. The only place to flee to was southern Gaza. The city of Rafah.

As Israel leveled entire neighbourhoods in the north, including laying siege to the only hospital there, it then dropped bombs on Rafah at least 200 times killing scores of civilians. Gazans, including thousands of children, are now literally starving to death thanks to Israel’s restrictions, its unproven allegations against UNRWA and many ordinary Israelis who are blocking aid trucks from entering the enclave. Thousands are drinking tainted or salt water for lack of anything else. There are few medicines and no anesthetic. Thousands are dying of preventable disease.

This week Prime Minister Netanyahu tweeted his intention to lay siege to Rafah, ordering civilians to flee to safety. But where exactly is this place they are to flee to? Rafah was it. There are no other places for over 2 million people to go to. It is obvious that the coming siege will kill and maim thousands of people who have no where to go. Israeli soldiers have been tiktoking their war crimes gleefully every day. Does anyone really think they will have restraint?

The US, supported by a cadre of client and Western subservient states, are directly responsible for this unfolding genocide. The Western media is also culpable in its utterly shameful coverage (or lack thereof) of this crime against humanity.

The rest of us, people of conscience, can do nothing but raise our voices and watch in horror at the most televised genocide in human history.

Kenn Orphan, February 2024