Palestinian minister says people in Rafah 'live in constant fear of being killed'

By Serife Cetin

Those seeking refuge in Rafah live in "constant fear of being killed," Palestinian Minister of Women's Affairs Amal Hamad told Anadolu at the UN headquarters in New York.

Hamad discussed Israeli attacks, the expectations of the Palestinian people from the international community, and the overall situation in Gaza.

She emphasized the unprecedented nature of the situation in the Gaza Strip, saying "So far, we have more than 110,000 affected individuals in the Gaza Strip, including martyrs and casualties. Seventy-three percent of them are women and children."

Hamad stressed that since Oct. 7, 14,000 children and 9,000 women have been killed.

She highlighted the dire living conditions of women in Gaza, living without basic necessities in tents and lacking access to education, healthcare, and family protection.

During Ramadan, the customary family, home, and communal iftar gatherings, familiar to the Palestinian people, could not be held due to the destruction and massacres by Israel in Gaza, resulting in the disruption of familial networks, she stressed.

"Under the bombardment of Israeli warplanes, children, mothers, spouses, or entire families are being killed. Therefore, the current situation of Palestinians is akin to a man-made earthquake disaster.

"In Türkiye, you experienced an earthquake, but it was the will of God. Today, however, due to the earthquake created by the occupier's hand, there is nothing left in Gaza. Palestinian women, as the most affected and impacted, are experiencing psychological devastation," she said.

Hamad highlighted the dire poverty and unprecedented unemployment among Palestinian women, saying: "Women in Gaza are now waiting in line for death."

- Population density in Rafah

Hamad highlighted the "severity of the situation in Rafah," near the Egyptian border in the southern Gaza Strip, noting that it comprises 20% of the Gaza Strip's total area.

Around 60% to 70% of Gaza residents are currently seeking refuge in Rafah, she added.

Hamad warned: "The population density in the Rafah area is above normal. People there live in tents, without water or food, and the living conditions are very poor. People in Rafah are in unprecedented fear and distress."

She added: "Every person seeking refuge in Rafah lives with the thought of when their turn for death will come, that is, waiting for the moment they will be killed."

- 'We are being killed in Gaza with weapons exported by many countries'

About the expectations of the Palestinian people from the international community, Hamad said: "We expect the international community to fulfill its responsibility to rescue every Palestinian from the state of killing and fear they endure, especially in Rafah. Indeed, the population density in Rafah is unparalleled anywhere on earth."

Hamad highlighted the UN as their primary audience, citing that despite numerous decisions in favor of the Palestinian cause, they've faced oppression within the organization due to US vetoes.

She thanked supporters of Palestine, linking their backing to the belief in the fairness of the Palestinian cause and the awareness of Palestinian rights.

Emphasizing that they have urged all countries and the UN to pressure Israel, the occupying force, to stop the attacks and achieve a cease-fire in Gaza, she said: "We are being killed in Gaza with weapons exported by many countries. Therefore, we also demand that the peoples pressure their governments in these countries."

"Any country providing weapons to Israel bears responsibility for the killed Palestinian civilians, children, and women," she added.

- 'Turkish people truly support Palestinian people and their cause'

Hamad also expressed gratitude to the Turkish people, highlighting their "genuine support" for the Palestinian cause.

She noted Türkiye's "consistent" backing of Palestine, whether at the UN, in providing medical care for Gaza's wounded, or on the international stage.

Hamad hoped for Türkiye to play a "bigger role in securing an immediate cease-fire in Gaza," noting its "significant influence" within the UN, the EU, and Islamic countries regarding the resolution of the Palestinian cause.

Hamad shared the aspiration to establish an independent Palestinian state with its capital in East Jerusalem.