The Mayor of Rafah, Ahmed Al-Sufi, announced on Sunday that the southern Gaza city has been reduced to ruins following 470 days of relentless Israeli aggression, which he labelled as a campaign of genocide and ethnic cleansing. Speaking at a press conference, he described Rafah as a city devastated beyond recognition, where homes, infrastructure, and livelihoods have been systematically destroyed, displacing its residents.

Al-Sufi revealed staggering preliminary losses, including the destruction of 30 out of 36 municipal facilities, with the main municipal building among them. Around 60% of Rafah's homes, representing 16,000 structures and 35,000 housing units, have been completely levelled. Key infrastructure, such as 15 out of 24 water wells and 70% of sewage networks, has been obliterated, creating an uninhabitable environment prone to disease outbreaks.

Educational and religious facilities have also been targeted, with four schools destroyed and 81 mosques razed to the ground. Nine medical centres, including major hospitals like Abu Youssef Al-Najjar and the Maternity Hospital, have been rendered inoperable. Meanwhile, thousands of acres of agricultural land and greenhouses have been flattened, depriving the city of its food supply and economic lifeline.

A vast area of Rafah along the Egyptian border, spanning 9,000 metres, has been entirely wiped out, leaving neighbourhoods such as Al-Salam, Al-Brazil, and the Rafah Refugee Camp almost entirely erased. This systematic destruction has turned 90% of the city's residential clusters into rubble.

The mayor appealed to Arab and Islamic nations, humanitarian organisations, and the global community to support Rafah and the wider Gaza Strip in their recovery. He urged for immediate international intervention to address the dire humanitarian crisis and begin the massive task of rebuilding.

The United Nations has highlighted the unparalleled devastation in Gaza, estimating a reconstruction cost of $40 billion. With 37 million tonnes of rubble and over 70% of housing damaged or destroyed, Gaza faces an uphill battle to rebuild. Healthcare and education sectors, essential pillars of any recovery, have been almost entirely decimated, further compounding the crisis.

Mayor Al-Sufi's urgent plea to the world stands as a reminder of the catastrophic toll of the aggression on Rafah and the broader Gaza Strip, underscoring the need for immediate and sustained global action.