Umm al-Rashrash, or what is called ‘Eliat’, a city located on the coast of the Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea, has found itself in a dire situation after becoming the destination for survivors and fleeing illegal settlers from the Gaza Strip and northern Palestine settlements. With over 60,000 settlers seeking refuge since Operation Al-Aqsa Flood began, the city has faced unexpected challenges.
No Defensive Systems above The City
Previously relying on the Iron Dome system for protection, which is only equipped to handle short-range missiles and artillery shells, ‘Eilat’ quickly realized its vulnerability when facing drones, winged missiles, and ballistic missiles.
The city had not anticipated being a direct target for right-wing and Iraqi resistance groups. It was assumed that American warships would provide ample protection. However, the arrival of the first batch of drones and missiles shattered that belief, leaving the city exposed and in need of additional air defense systems.
The lack of defensive measures and fortified rooms further compounds the threat facing illegal settlers in Eilat. With no shelters to protect them, every missile or intrusion poses a significant danger to their lives. The city’s vulnerability is heightened by the ease of infiltration through its beaches. The situation is exacerbated by the transformation of a large part of the military base, located on the coastal road’s southern entrance, into entertainment centers. This decision, made in 2021, diminished the city’s ability to defend against potential attacks.
To address these pressing concerns, the Zionist entity has deployed military boats in the Red Sea and positioned SAR-class corvettes to conduct patrols near Eilat’s port. Efforts are underway to bring in multiple defense systems, but the frequency of attacks leaves the city in a perpetual state of danger.
from a City of Displacement to a Front Line
With the beginning of the Al-Aqsa Flood operation, the Zionist entity worked to develop an emergency plan to evacuate its settlements, which is in two stages: The first, called “a safe distance,” is designated for the settlements adjacent to the fence, whether in the Gaza Strip (up to 4 km from the fence) or in the north on the border with Lebanon. (Up to 2 km from the fence). As for the second plan, it is called “Naseem,” and it is designated for settlements located between 4 and 7 km from the fence.
In the context of precautionary preparations for an increase in the number of residents who will evacuate from their homes, it was reported in the Zionist entity that the National Emergency Authority (Rahal) and the ‘Eilat’ Municipality are seeking to establish a tent city in the ‘Eilat’ industrial zone, which has an area of about 150 dunums.
However, after the transformation of ‘Eilat’ from a tourist city that received the displaced into a front line and into a targeted city, it can be said that everything that the entity worked on regarding the displaced must be reconsidered and it must search for new ways, a new city and a new place to shelter those fleeing from its settlers, with the losses it costs.
New economic and popular pressure due to the deteriorating conditions of the displaced and the lack of good care for them, according to Zionist media reports.
Source: AlManar English Website
