Rafah no longer exists. This is part of Israel’s plan to permanently occupy Gaza.
Aerial view of the destruction in Rafah on 19 January 2025,at the start of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas
Tareq S. Hajjaj writes in Mondoweiss on 24 April 2025 :
Over the past month, the Israeli army has been methodically emptying Rafah of its residents and leveling what remains of its buildings. The city of Rafah and its surrounding towns are now virtually gone, with most residents having evacuated north to Khan Younis and the Mawasi coastline under artillery fire and the approaching sound of tanks and bulldozers.
Rafah has also been the site of several documented massacres, including the first responders massacre in the Tal al-Sultan neighborhood in late March, when the Israeli army opened fire on and executed 15 paramedics and rescue workers from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society and the Gaza Civil Defense.
Rafah is the Gaza Strip’s southernmost governorate, located along the border with Egypt. Before the war, it housed about 200,000 residents, and its territory made up about a fifth of Gaza’s land. It no longer exists.
The Israeli demolition and displacement operations started in Rafah well before the short-lived ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect in mid-January. During the ceasefire period, Israeli forces prevented residents of several border areas from returning, such as Yibna refugee camp, al-Awda, al-Shabura, and Bir Canada. After the ceasefire broke down in mid-March, the Israeli army flattened them all.