It has now been nearly a month since the Rafah border crossing, the only gateway for Gazans to the outside world, was closed on June 14. The border crossing in the south, which links Gaza with Egypt, ceased operating after Hamas overcame Fatah forces to become the monopolizing power in Gaza.

As it stands, there are approximately 4,000 people at the Rafah crossing waiting for the border to open and allow them to enter Egypt. On the Egyptian side of the crossing in al-Areesh, there are a reported 5,000 people hoping that the crossing opens so they can return home.

Najida Balbisi, a Palestinian reporter for Al-Quds, stranded on the Egyptian side of the crossing claims that Palestinians are running out of money, forced to sleep where they can and suffering from severe heat, hunger and illness. Twenty-eight Palestinians have died on the Egyptian side as victims caught between ‘the hammer of Hamas and the anvil of the presidency’. Israel has offered to transport Palestinians into Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing [Karni] and while this proposal has been supported by President Mahmoud Abbas, it has been viciously rejected by Palestinians claiming that it is a violation of their human rights as the crossing is controlled by Israel. They believe that entering through Kerem Shalom would be a sign of submission to the occupation as well as putting individuals at risk of being banned from leaving Gaza by Israel.

On the Gaza side of Rafah, 11 people have died due to heat exhaustion, hunger and illness, exacerbated by the dire conditions.

In November 2005, following the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, 87 European Union monitors were installed to supervise the crossing at Rafah. They subsequently withdrew following the closure of the Rafah crossing, but on July 8, Major General Pistolese, the head of the EU Border Assistance Mission, announced that the monitors were assessing the situation and considering returning to Rafah. However, while European observers are crucial to the crossing being opened, neither the EU monitors nor Israel wishes to deal with Hamas at Rafah. President Abbas has stated that EU monitors will only return when Rafah is manned by presidential guards. Hamas, however, says it will not bow to Fatah pressure and adamantly asserts that they are opposed to any international involvement.

The desperate humanitarian problems in Rafah epitomize the deteriorating state of Gaza following the Hamas takeover. In spite of Hamas’ attempt to portray that there is increased stability in Gaza since they assumed control, Gaza is gradually becoming more isolated and crippled.

Rafah is inundated with citizens trying to flee the dire conditions. Aid has tried to enter through the commercial crossing at Karni but not enough is getting past and attacks on the border by Palestinian military groups just lead to Israel closing the border. With coordination between the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Israeli District Coordination in the northern situated Erez crossing, some Palestinians are being permitted to enter Israel to receive medical assistance but it is still a small percentage of people when compared to the number of those in need of medical care.

The Office for the Cooperation of Human Affairs (OCHA) reported that imports have managed to assist only 70% of people in Gaza, an area where 80% of its 1.5 million population is dependent on aid. In addition, three quarters of factories have closed or are running at 20% capacity, losing an estimated $500,000 a day, and farmers in Gaza are not able to export their goods through the border crossings.