E-Paper
What is 'All eyes on Rafah'? All about the viral image millions are sharing on Instagram
Israel's attack on Rafah has killed several civilians, following which people are sharing the phrase “All eyes on Rafah”.
You may have seen a particular image of tents arranged to form the phrase “All eyes on Rafah”, or you may have seen people sharing the phrase as their stories or posts. They are showing their support for the city of Rafah in southern Gaza, where 45 people died and over 200 were left injured after an Israeli airstrike on Sunday.
When did this attack happen?
On May 26, the airstrike happened at a camp for displaced people in Rafah, reported Reuters. This came after Hamas launched rockets in the Tel Aviv area.
After the incident, the UN Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) shared a post on X and wrote, “Gaza has become hell on earth. Families continue to seek refuge, trying to escape war, but there is no such thing as a safe place in the Gaza Strip. No one is safe: not civilians, not aid workers, no one has been spared. We need a #CeasefireNow”.
The health ministry in the Hamas-run territory said that the strikes “claimed the lives of 35 martyrs and left dozens injured, most of them children and women". Later, it was found that 45 civilians were killed in the attack.
Also Read: Israel strikes back, 35 killed in Rafah after Hamas attack in Tel Aviv: 10 updates
In a statement, the Israeli military said that the attack was based on “precise intelligence” against “legitimate targets under international law”. They added that it killed two “senior” Hamas officials.
Global outrage
This attack has triggered a global outrage, with many condemning it and several demanding a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. Last year, Hamas entered Israel through the Gaza border through a deadly attack that killed hundreds. The group now controls the polity.
The attack on Rafah was two days after a ruling by the UN International Court of Justice (ICJ), where the court ordered Israel to halt its attack on the city.
“Israel must immediately halt its military offensive and any other action in the Rafah Governorate which may inflict on the Palestinian group in Gaza conditions of life that could bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part," ICJ President Judge Nawaf Salam said in the order. The order got the support of 13 of 15 judges.
Who all posted "All eyes on Rafah"?
Several people posted this phrase, including celebrities like Priyanka Chopra, Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Tripti Dimri, and Richa Chadha. Rohit Sharma’s wife, Ritika Sajdeh, also shared the viral phrase but later deleted it after facing trolling. Over 46 million Instagram users (and counting) have shared the Rafah story.
When did this war start?
It started on October 7, 2023, after Hamas attacked southern Israel, resulting in the death of hundreds of people, mostly civilians. The group also took several people hostage. Israel's retaliatory attacks have killed and injured thousands of people.
