The Israeli military took control of the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt last week. Its tanks then advanced into the southern Gazan town of Rafah in its ongoing war with Hamas.
The conflict entered its eighth month in May, with peace brokers failing to deliver a ceasefire.
Israeli tanks and jets have attacked multiple locations and homes in Rafah, sparking global alarm about the condition of people trapped in the area.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces increasing pressure from the international community to call off any attack on Rafah, where around 1.5 million displaced Gazans are sheltering.
Earlier this year, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was “deeply concerned” about a Rafah attack.
Foreign Minister David Cameron said it was “impossible to see how you can fight a war amongst these people, there is nowhere for them to go”. Despite this, Mr Cameron has since said the UK would continue selling arms to Israel.
Rafah is located along the border of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula and is one of Earth’s most densely populated places.
The border remains tentatively closed, meaning most Palestinians cannot leave and most humanitarian aid cannot get in.
So what does “all eyes on Rafah” mean?
What does "all eyes on Rafah" mean?
The phrase "all eyes on Rafah" has gained momentum in recent months, an action call asking people to pay attention to the attacks on the city.
Israel’s military offensive in the Gaza Strip has killed more than 33,000 Palestinians, including 13,800 children, since October 7.
"All eyes on Rafah" is typically used on social media platforms to draw attention to the atrocities.
All eyes on Rafah. We are on the precipice of one of the darkest unfoldings of this century.
— وَسِيمْ (@w5ssim) May 6, 2024
Celebrities such as actress and TV personality Nadia Sawalha have recently used the phrase on social media. "All eyes on Rafah," she wrote on her Instagram.
"The Government must publicly demand a ceasefire. And stop arming this brutal army.
We can not stand by and witness another massacre.
"Please. I'm begging you. Be brave. Be motivated. Demand your MP listens to you."
Dr Rick Peeperkorn, director of the World Health Organisation's Office of the Occupied Palestinian Territories, said in February: “All eyes are on Rafah.
“We all watch the news and we all get the stories about this possible incursion and military activities are getting closer.”
New Zealand’s Capsule NZ magazine featured an article titled “All Eyes On Rafah’: Why It Matters That We Bear Witness To The Unbearable” in March.
It said: “The action call of ‘All Eyes On Rafah’ this week stands because it matters that we see this. We are asked to bear witness to what is happening because somebody has to.
“The scarring footage of big news events only really stops becoming about shock value and starts becoming personal in the weeks and months that follow, where follow-up footage, investigations and documentaries walk us through an in-depth look at the lives of the people missing, and then their deaths. Otherwise, it’s easy to have it feel like an overwhelming set of numbers.”
