Egeland on Rafah: – This is an illegal deportation

Early on Monday, around 100,000 residents in the eastern city of Rafah, in the far south of the Gaza Strip, were ordered to evacuate. These have been asked to go to the areas of Khan Younis and Al-Mawasi, explains Egeland.

– These are areas that are either in ruins or are already completely overpopulated by refugees. There is neither food, water or emergency housing for them, says Secretary General Jan Egeland of the Norwegian Refugee Council to NTB.

Watch video: Israelis stopped: Want to enter Gaza

– An illegal deportation

It is estimated that at least 1.1 million Palestinians have sought refuge in Rafah. According to Hamas-affiliated media, Israel also carried out airstrikes in the area on Monday.

– This is an illegal evacuation order, and the first part of a forced evacuation. A civilian population must be evacuated with assistance, emergency housing and humanitarian services must be provided in the area to which they are evacuated. In addition, you must also be given a promise to be able to return.

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– None of these things exist here, and then international law is clear that this is an illegal deportation, says Egeland.

On Sunday, Hamas carried out an attack against the Kerem Shalom border crossing, which runs between Israel and the Gaza Strip. Egeland says the Norwegian Refugee Council has been informed that both this and the border crossing in Rafah are closed.

– Is it really possible to evacuate the sick and injured? he asks.

– In addition, there is a lack of fuel. We were supposed to distribute tens of thousands of aid packages, but we won’t be able to do that if our trucks don’t have fuel, and at least not if there’s an invasion going on.

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Believes a cease-fire is urgent

Many interpret the evacuation order as Israel preparing a ground invasion of Rafah. Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has previously announced an action in Rafah “in the near future”.

Egeland strongly warns against military action.

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– We warn that this could become a bloodbath. There are too many people in too small an area, people who have already fled several times, he points out.

Egeland believes it is now urgent to get a ceasefire agreement in place.

– We must have a truce. There rests a heavy responsibility on Hamas, but also Israel and their allies, he says.

– These are grown men who sit in safe offices and make the decision to fight to the last child and the last woman. That is the reality.