Almost 2 million Palestinians have been displaced in Israel’s year-long onslaught on the Gaza Strip, which numerous experts tell us is a genocide. Many have sought refuge in the sprawling tent cities that now snake across Gaza—new refugee camps atop old ones. Others live in the overcrowded buildings that have not yet been turned to rubble in Israel’s unprecedented campaign of domicide. However, before Israel invaded Rafah in May and essentially shuttered the last remaining crossing out of Gaza, a minority of around 150,000 people managed to leave the enclave, either because they had the “right” documents—second passports and hard-to-come-by visas—or because they were able to pay exorbitant fees to Hala, the private company that controls the commercial crossing into Egypt, and that has raked in more than $1 billion over the past year from Palestinians fleeing death…..more
