The devastation in Gaza: Israel and Hamas amidst the crisis

Amidst the intense humanitarian crisis plaguing the Gaza Strip, the conflict between Israel and Hamas has left a trail of devastation and suffering that has captured the attention of the entire world. This week, the Israeli Army allowed international press access to the town of Rafah in southern Gaza for the first time, where a fierce battle has taken place resulting in hundreds of deaths and over a million displaced. The tour by international journalists revealed the extent of the destruction that has struck Rafah, with abandoned and semi-destroyed buildings, streets filled with rubble, and a decimated population. Only 50,000 people remain in the city, out of the more than 1.4 million who sought refuge there for protection. The presence of Israeli tanks in Rafah has forced many residents to flee to areas considered "humanitarian zones" by Israel, such as the coastal area of Al Mawasi, which has also been targeted in attacks, or to the neighborhoods of Khan Yunis, where bombings have resumed and evacuation orders have been issued. According to the Israeli Army, Hamas has used civilian infrastructure to conceal its operations, leading to intense attacks on civilian areas in the enclave. During the tour, the chief military spokesman, Daniel Hagari, stated that Hamas has built its facilities in the midst of civilian neighborhoods to create a "terror ecosystem." Israeli soldiers have discovered kilometers of tunnels used by Palestinian militants to store weapons and prepare ambushes, many of them located near the Philadelphi Corridor on the border with Egypt, which Israel claims was used by Hamas for arms smuggling. The closure of the Rafah border crossing to Egypt has worsened the humanitarian crisis in the region, with hospitals and clinics closed and a critical shortage of food and medicine. Humanitarian aid barely reaches through the Kerem Shalom crossing, as the route into Gaza is deemed too dangerous for humanitarian organizations. Since the start of the war in Gaza, it is estimated that over 38,100 people have lost their lives and 87,700 have been injured, mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health. Additionally, 325 Israeli soldiers have died, and 116 hostages remain held in the enclave. Facing this bleak scenario, it is expected that this week Israel and Hamas will resume talks in Egypt in search of a ceasefire agreement to end the violence that has ravaged the region. The international community is closely monitoring the events in Gaza, urging both parties to seek a peaceful solution to end the suffering of the civilian population and lay the groundwork for reconstruction and reconciliation in the area.