"All Eyes on Rafah" trending on social media as Israel steps up offensive on Gaza

The phrase "All Eyes on Rafah" took over social media on May 28 as many people from across the world extended support to Palestinians residing in the southern Gaza city of Rafah where Israel is conducting a massive ground operation.

Shelling and airstrikes from the Israel end over the weekend, killed at least 45 people, most of who were taking shelter in tents in Rafah. As per Gaza medica, the strike which was launched on May 26 also wounded hundreds of civilians with shrapnel and burn wounds. 

Despite an order from the top UN court to halt operations last week, Israeli forces pressed their assault on the border town.

Meanwhile, Israel called the loss of life "a tragic accident" and its army said its ammunitions could not have caused the deadly blaze alone, adding that it had targeted and killed two senior Hamas militants in the strike.

The attack triggered global outrage against Israel, with many people taking to social media to post against the deadly attack.

“All Eyes on Rafah” is a phrase that refers to the ongoing genocide in Rafah, Gaza, with over 1.4 million Palestinians seeking shelter, Iran's Embassy in India posted on X.

The image depicts tents in a camp arranged to spell out “All Eyes on Rafah,” an area in the south of Gaza filled with refugee tent camps. 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.

The slogan likely originated from a comment by Rick Peeperkorn, director of the WHO’s Office of the Occupied Palestinian Territories, who said in February, "All eyes are on Rafah," after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered an evacuation plan for the city ahead of planned attacks on what he claims are the last Hamas strongholds.

Many celebrities and influencers, including actors Varun Dhawan, Aly Goni, Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Tripti Dimri posted “All Eyes on Rafah” graphics to their Instagram stories.

Support groups like Save the Children, Oxfam, Americans for Justice in Palestine Action, Jewish Voice for Peace and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign have also adopted the slogan.

The hashtag #AllEyesOnRafah has over 195,000 posts and millions of views on TikTok, and it was trending on Instagram on Tuesday with nearly 100,000 posts.