I’ve been on the ground in Rafah – what I saw there horrified me

When I was in Gaza last month, I witnessed hell on earth, writes Melanie Ward. A ground invasion of Rafah will cause mass human suffering and a further healthcare catastrophe. A ceasefire cannot come soon enough

‘Israel’s invasion of Rafah will be a humanitarian disaster on a whole new level’ (AFP via Getty Images)

On Monday, the Israeli military ordered 100,000 people in Eastern areas of Rafah to evacuate to areas adjacent to the already overcrowded coast, where there is not enough shelter to receive them, nor humanitarian supplies to sustain them. Israeli forces have since intensified their airstrikes on the city and taken control of the Rafah crossing on the Palestinian side. A disastrous military invasion of Rafah appears to have begun.

When I was in Gaza last month, I witnessed hell on earth. More than two million people trapped in a tiny piece of land, bombed continuously for more than 200 days and starved at the fastest rate the world has ever known while the fabric of life around them is destroyed: homes, hospitals, schools, universities and mosques obliterated.

Almost 35,000 people have been killed and 76,000 injured. Near the Rafah crossing, I saw the travesty of piles of desperately needed medical aid denied entry to Gaza: crutches, wheelchairs, anesthetic equipment, X-ray machines and more.