What do we know about the Rafah crossing and its importance?

According to the report of the international group Tasnim news agency, during the past days, the threats of the Zionist regime for a ground attack on Rafah, in the southernmost point of Gaza, which houses nearly one and a half million Palestinians, including the residents of this area and refugees who have been displaced from different areas of Gaza, has become one of the main developments related to the Gaza war; Especially after the Zionist army ordered the evacuation of the east of Rafah yesterday, and today the Arab media reported that the tanks of the Zionist regime entered the Rafah crossing located in the south of the Gaza Strip.

The threat of the occupying regime to attack Rafah by land has had many reactions in the region and the world, and international organizations and different countries have warned about its dire consequences and demanded immediate action to deal with it.

Rafah; An area full of civilian population in the south of Gaza

In this regard, we intend to have a look at the geographical and historical location and the importance of Rafah city.

Rafah in The southernmost point of the Gaza Strip is located on the border of Palestine and Egypt and 5.5 miles from the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Rafah is 33 km from Gaza City and 13 km from Khan Yunis, 16 km from Sheikh Zuwayd village in Sinai, Egypt and 45 km from Al Arish city in Egypt. It is located and is considered one of the largest cities in the Gaza Strip on the borders of Egypt. The area of ​​this city reaches 55 square kilometers. The only border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip is located in the city of Rafah, and in the past years, this crossing has played the main role in delivering humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and transporting patients from this area to outside of Gaza for treatment.

According to the census published by the Palestine News Agency, the total population of Rafah province in 2021 was 260,117 people.

But after The beginning of the destructive war of the Zionist regime against Gaza in October 2023 and while more than 7 months have passed since this war, the United Nations announced that with the arrival of Palestinian refugees from all over Gaza to Rafah, this area has become one of the most populated places in the world. Currently, there are about 1.4 million displaced people in Rafah, some of whom have been displaced 6 times due to the attacks of the Zionist regime. Therefore, the population of Rafah has increased 5 times after the war and these displaced people live in very miserable conditions. /p>

What is the importance of the Rafah crossing?

The Rafah crossing is in the south of the Gaza Strip at the end Aliya is located in the south of Rafah province between the city of Rafah and Shawkat al-Sufi and on the west side of Palestine between the border of Palestine and Egypt. According to the reconciliation agreement between Egypt and the Zionist regime in 1979, this crossing was recognized as an international crossing that connects the Gaza Strip to It connects the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt.

The complete withdrawal of the Zionist regime from Sinai lasted until 1982; Subsequently, the Gaza Strip, which was under the control of Egypt from 1948 to 1967, was occupied by the Zionist regime, and this regime had control over this area until 40 years ago when it was forced to withdraw from Gaza due to international pressure.

After the first Palestinian intifada, the self-governing organization took control over the security procedures of the Rafah crossing, but the Zionist regime had more control over the security and operation of the crossing, as well as the power to inspect it.

In 2001 , the Zionist regime prohibited Palestinian employees from working at the Rafah crossing and returned it to the exclusive control of this regime; This was a direct result of the Second Intifada.

In 2005, Israel and the Palestinian Authority signed the Movement and Access Agreement (AMA), which put the Rafah crossing under full Palestinian control, but with one major condition. ; According to this agreement, the Zionist regime reserved the right to close the borders and prevent people from crossing whenever they want.

In June 2006, Gilad Shalit was captured. , the Zionist military in the hands of the resistance, caused the Zionist regime to close the Rafah crossing for a year.

After the victory of Hamas in the 2006 elections, the Zionist regime surrounded Gaza and from then until 2009 , Egypt and Gaza opened this crossing rarely and irregularly.

The Gaza Strip is connected to Egypt through two crossings, Rafah and Salah al-Din Gate, none of these crossings are officially under the control of the Zionist regime. It doesn’t exist, but the Zionists have always directly and indirectly tried to control it and put pressure in this regard.

Rafah crossing especially for Palestinians which are under siege from all sides inside the Gaza Strip is very important because it is considered their gate to the outside world. The dimensions of the importance of the Rafah crossing can be summarized in the following: Rafah crossing is considered a vital gateway for the transfer of goods and people, and Palestinians who intend to leave Gaza must pass through this crossing. /p>

– The Rafah crossing is the gateway for goods and humanitarian aid, including food and raw materials, medicine and medical equipment, etc. to the Gaza Strip.

– Despite the opposition of the Zionist regime, but Sometimes Egypt allows the export of Palestinian agricultural products to Egypt through the Rafah crossing.

– The Rafah crossing helps to activate commercial affairs between Gaza and Egypt at the level of import and export of goods.

However, regarding the importance of this crossing for the Zionist regime, the American Axios website, quoting two informed sources, stated that Israel believes that its control over the Rafah crossing will destroy the main power of Hamas in Gaza and prevent Hamas from being able to recover after the war. the Gaza strip should rule.

Satellite images show that almost all the uninhabited lands located in the northwest of Rafah province have turned into refugee shelters.

Relevant sources warn that if The military attack of the occupying army on Rafah, in the shadow of the terrible humanitarian crisis that exists in this region and the whole of Gaza, a bloodbath will start in Rafah, and in addition to endangering the national security of Egypt, this action will lead to the expansion of the war in a catastrophic way in The whole region becomes.

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