TikTokers Return their Eyes to Rafah
While American pop culture events still take place, netizens turn their eyes to Rafah once again.
In light of the bombardment that started in Rafah, many netizens are urging others to direct their attention to this small area in which over 1 million people live in tents. Israeli soldiers urged citizens to evacuate and move to Al-Mawasi, an “expanded humanitarian zone” near Khan Yunis.
Journalist Hani Mahmood described the leaflets as having “very extreme” orders as well as “intimidating language” to describe what will happen in the area. Because the Egypt crossing is closed, evacuations out of Gaza will be difficult if not impossible to conduct. Not only that, but when Israel has a history of bombing safe zones and evacuation routes, many Gazans in Rafah are skeptical about claims that Al-Mawasi is indeed a safe zone.
With renewed efforts to turn attention to Rafah, many netizens still encourage donations to Gazan crowdfunds to evacuate. One netizen said that the donations will still help if the border re-opens. In addition to that, Gazans can use the money to buy tents and the small amount of food is available to purchase. In addition to that, many Gazans are still crowdfunding to be able to leave Gaza if the Rafah crossing does re-open.
The tag #AllEyesonRafah was also used during the Super Bowl, a major American sporting event, to maintain American focus on Palestine. The attack that Israel conducted during this time was called the Super Bowl Massacre. During this attack, 67 Palestinians were killed. This number does not account for those who were injured.
Based on the Super Bowl Massacre, many netizens have concluded that Israel has a pattern of attacking during major American pop culture events. Many say that they averting their eyes to the horrors in Palestine makes them complicit in the genocide taking place. Others have said that they lost interest in celebrities, especially as many Americans struggle to afford basic necessities.
