Rafah Zoo Workers To Evacuate Animals Amid Israeli Offensive Humanitarian Catastrophe in Gaza

Author: Dian Kencana
June 4, 2024

A lion from Rafah Zoo made it out of Rafah. (AP)

SEAToday.com, Rafah- When Israel launched its offensive in the southern city of Gaza Strip, worker at the Rafah Zoo had only couple of days to evacuate the animals to a safe area. Three elderly lions as well cats, guard dogs and turtles were left behind.

Some of the animals made it out of Rafah and were evacuated to a cow farm in Khan Younis, but unfortunately, they also face hard conditions due to lack of food.

Rafah Zoo owner, Fathi Juma, said the got informed to evacuate through flyers drooped from planes. They were given two days to evacuate the animals from the zoo and surely it was not enough.

“We ran out of time and we had to leave the area and keep the rest of the animals in the zoo and of course those animals will die. In a maximum time of a week or 10 days, if no one goes and put food for them or an organization or people who are concerned to bring the animals to where we are, they will die because the animals cannot survive without food and water.”

Southern Gaza has been cut off from aid, since Israel launched what it called a limited incursion into Rafah, on May 6. Since then, over one million Palestinians, many already displaced, fled the city.

Around 80 percent of Gaza’s 2,3 million people have fled their homes. Severe hunger is widespread and UN official say parts of the territory are experiencing famine.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel must take over Rafah to eliminate Hama’s remaining battalions, and achieve total victory over the militants, who recently regrouped in other parts of Gaza.