Civil Organizations: Opening the Rafah Crossing Does Not End the Tragedy.. The International Community Must Secure the Needs of the Sector Immediately

SadaNews - The Palestinian Network of Civic Organizations demands immediate action with a cohesive international will that aligns with the aspirations of the Palestinian people and addresses the catastrophic consequences of the genocidal war and its effects, as well as the ongoing humanitarian suffering. The network views the partial reopening of the Rafah land crossing this morning, after it was opened experimentally yesterday, as a step in the right direction; however, it does not fulfill the purpose of alleviating the suffering in the Gaza Strip.

The network emphasizes that opening the crossing, according to the ceasefire agreement, is an important issue. However, up to this moment, the numbers of citizens departing or arriving have not been determined, nor have age groups or permitted goods for entry been specified. Moreover, the occupation controls the process, the security checks, and many issues related to the content of the agreement. This comes alongside numerous logistical and technical concerns, despite the significance of the step taken with the participation of the European Union mission and our brothers in the sisterly Egypt, stressing the importance of breaking the unjust "taboos" of the occupation.

The network calls for giving utmost importance to transporting vulnerable groups, including the injured, sick, the elderly, and those most affected, and for immediate action to allow the passage of aid that has been stockpiled on the Egyptian side of the crossing for weeks, which the occupying state has prevented from passing for political extortion purposes and to exert additional pressure to maintain its complete control over the sector and aspects of life therein amid a deepening humanitarian crisis with the onset of winter. Official statistics from various international organizations indicate damage to over 127,000 tents, and there are more than 22,000 patients needing medical treatment abroad, with the cold claiming the lives of dozens of children, while no one in the world has extended a serious hand to help address this tragedy.

The network insists on establishing a clear mechanism from the United Nations and international organizations to operate the crossing at the highest level that responds to humanitarian needs, pressing for the allowance of tents and food, medical, and humanitarian aid into the sector. It demands the end of occupation control over the crossing and the existence of "formality" under the title of the Palestinian Authority, which requires a comprehensive national dialogue among all components to eliminate the occupation's attempts to separate the West Bank from the sector and to continue efforts to impose the "fragmentation" of living and economic conditions at the expense of the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people, which are inalienable and represented by the right of return, self-determination, and national independence.