TOPLINE As Israeli troops continue their progress in a ground offensive on the heavily populated city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip, a months-old campaign with the slogan "All Eyes on Rafah" has picked up steam, particularly in western Europe, Australia and India as a call for awareness of the ongoing war from activists and humanitarian groups.
The slogan seems to have stemmed from a comment by Rick Peeperkorn, director of the World Health Organization’s Office of the Occupied Palestinian Territories, who in February said "All eyes are on Rafah" days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered an evacuation plan be created for the city ahead of planned attacks to eliminate what Netanyahu claims are the last remaining strongholds of the militant group Hamas.
The phrase is meant as a request for bystanders to not look away from what’s happening in the city of Rafah—where as many as 1.4 million people are sheltering after fleeing from violent fighting elsewhere in Gaza—as Israel continues its offensive despite the large civilian population.
Organizations and lobbying groups like Save the Children, Oxfam, Americans for Justice in Palestine Action, Jewish Voice for Peace and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign then repeated the slogan, and it has been used as a rallying cry at protests in Paris, London, the Netherlands, New York City, Los Angeles and beyond.
A number of celebrities in India, including actors Varun Dhawan, Aly Goni, Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Tripti Dimri, posted identical “All Eyes on Rafah” graphics to their Instagram stories Tuesday, and other celebrities who have spoken out include Australian cricket player Travis Head, British singer Leigh-Anne Pinnock, model Bella Hadid and actresses Saoirse-Monica Jackson and Susan Sarandon.
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