Palestinians fled to Rafah looking for safety. Now, with a ground offensive looming, they feel trapped

• RCI

Refugees wait and worry, caught between a closed border and the Israeli military

Ramzi Okasha came to Rafah from northern Gaza’s Saftawi neighbourhood with his wife and two kids. It is his third displacement since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war in October, and with the Israeli Defence Forces now threatening to invade here, he has no idea where to go next.

The 50-year-old former university lecturer in business administration sits in his tent, in a refugee camp, surrounded by his wife and kids, their belongings piled along the edges. Blankets, mats, bottles of water and backpacks are all that’s left for this family, who’ve been fleeing for their lives for close to four months.

Their journey first took them to Khan Younis back in October 2023, then to Alqsa University and finally to the southern tip of the Gaza Strip.

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Yasmine Hassan (new window), Mohamed El Saife (new window) · CBC News ·