Greater disaster stares at Gaza as Israel plans 'second level'

The humanitarian situation in Gaza has become increasingly grave as Israel imposed a complete blockade on the Gaza Strip 11 days after the outbreak of the Israel-Palestine conflict.

In order to ease the humanitarian situation, the international community has organized emergency humanitarian relief operations. However, can the emergency relief supplies reach the intended destination given that the Gaza Strip lacks safe humanitarian access?

The Rafah crossing between the southern Gaza Strip and Egypt, the only crossing not controlled by Israel, seemed to be the most promising channel for emergency humanitarian aid, but on Oct 9 the Israeli army bombed the Palestinian side of the crossing, warning that no people or materials could enter it without its permission.

The next day, Egypt closed the crossing, stranding a large number of people and blocking a passage for relief materials. Perhaps under pressure from the United States, Israel said it is negotiating with Egypt and the US to allow 2,000 Palestinians to leave Rafah per day.

Various media organizations reported that on Monday morning Israel and Hamas had simultaneously announced a five-hour ceasefire in southern Gaza to allow foreigners to leave, but both sides later denied the cease-fire.

The Rafah crossing apart, there are six land crossings between the Gaza Strip and Israel, but four of them have been permanently closed by Israel. As Hamas attacked two crossings on Oct 7, Israel is unlikely to open them for aid into Gaza. If the Rafah crossing cannot be opened, the people of Gaza can only rely on underground smuggling tunnels. There might be more than 2,000 such underground tunnels in Gaza, some reaching the Egyptian side and the others the Israeli border.

After the outbreak of the Israel-Palestine conflict, Israel Defense Forces said this time Israel's offensive against Hamas will enter the "second level", which means the network of underground tunnels. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East is struggling to operate, but the international community's relief supplies cannot enter Gaza smoothly.

If the Israeli army's attack on Gaza reaches the "second level", it will cause a disaster worse than the five Middle East wars.

Whether to open the humanitarian aid channel to the Gaza Strip has become the most urgent thing, which is also the biggest difficulty the warring parties have to face.