Palestinian groups urge people in West Bank, Jerusalem to launch uprising to save Gaza, Rafah

By Mohammad Sio

ISTAMBUL (AA) - In a significant development, Palestinian factions on Friday called on the people in the West Bank, Jerusalem, and the occupied territories to rise up in support of Gaza and help save Rafah from a humanitarian catastrophe and a war of genocide amid Israeli aggressions.

In a statement, the Palestinian groups said: “We call on our people in the West Bank, Jerusalem, and the occupied territories to launch a fierce uprising in support of Gaza and to save Rafah from the humanitarian catastrophe and genocide war.”

Israeli forces have continued their military attacks in the eastern areas of Rafah city, southern Gaza Strip, since Monday, leading to the displacement of more than 100,000 Palestinians from these areas to the southwestern part of the Strip.

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip in retaliation for a Hamas attack last Oct. 7, which killed 1,200 people. More than 34,900 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, mostly women and children, and over 78,500 others injured, according to Palestinian health authorities.

Over seven months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins, pushing 85% of the enclave’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January said it is "plausible" that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza and ordered Tel Aviv to stop such acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul