IOF Continues to Shut Down Rafah, Karem Abu Salem Crossings

The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) continue to shut down the Rafah border crossing and the Karem Abu Salem commercial crossing in the southern Gaza Strip, amid warnings of a humanitarian catastrophe. Palestinian news agency (Wafa) said that on May 5, the IOF completely closed the Kerem Abu Salem crossing southeast of Rafah, preventing the entry of humanitarian and medical aid. After 20 days of closure, the crossing was opened for less than 24 hours, during which only 200 aid trucks, including 4 fuel trucks, were allowed entry, Wafa added. According to medical sources, no patient or wounded person has been able to leave the Gaza Strip since the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing was occupied by the Israeli army. Due to the continued closure of the border crossings, cessation of aid flow, and deliberate targeting of health facilities, only Tal Al-Sultan Maternity Hospital remains operational in Rafah, Wafa reported, pointing out that this comes after the closure of Abu Yousef Al-Najjar Hospital, Abu Al-Waleed Central Clinic, Rafah Field Hospital II, Kuwait Specialized Hospital, and the Indonesian Field Hospital in the city. The IOF continues its military attack on Rafah and the closure of crossings despite international condemnation and calls to immediately halt its military operations on Rafah, the latest of these calls came from the International Court of Justice (ICJ), ordering Israel to immediately halt its military operations in Rafah and ensure the opening of the Rafah crossing to facilitate the entry of aid. Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini said earlier today that all UNRWA's shelters in Rafah are empty now and more than one million people -most displaced several times- were forced to flee once again, in search of safety that they never find. "UNRWA had to stop health and other critical services in Rafah," Lazzarini added. Source: Qatar News Agency