In the wake of an Israeli strike in Rafah, Gaza, which claimed the lives of numerous civilians, social media platforms reverberated with the slogan “All Eyes on Rafah,” sparking widespread international condemnation.
This phrase has been a recurring motif in the ongoing social and cultural discourse surrounding Israel’s conflict with Hamas in the region. It has gained traction on various social media platforms, especially as Israeli military actions in Rafah, situated in the southern Gaza Strip adjacent to the Egyptian border, have escalated in recent months.
The resurgence of this slogan occurred when an image, apparently generated by artificial intelligence, depicting a field of refugee tents arranged to spell out “All Eyes on Rafah,” circulated online. One iteration of this graphic alone garnered over 38 million shares on Instagram.
The origin of the phrase can be traced back to comments made by Rik Peeperkorn in February. Peeperkorn, who heads the World Health Organization’s office for Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank, uttered the words during a press briefing as the Israeli military’s operations intensified in southern Gaza.
“All eyes are on Rafah,” remarked Peeperkorn, a statement swiftly adopted by pro-Palestinian and humanitarian organizations. These groups utilized the slogan to draw attention to Gaza and specifically to Rafah, a significant refuge for displaced Palestinians from other parts of the territory. Notable among these organizations are Save the Children International, Oxfam, and subsequently, advocacy groups such as Jewish Voice for Peace.
The resonance of this slogan extended to pro-Palestinian demonstrations at universities across the Western world earlier this month.
The lethal strike in Rafah elicited swift condemnation from global leaders. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged the deaths of two Hamas officials in the attack while characterizing the civilian casualties as a “tragic accident.”
