The Take Brief: Rafah traffic a trickle, HRW employees quit over suppressed report
5 snips
Feb 8, 2026 Omar Shakir, former director of HRW's Israel and Palestine program who resigned over a halted report. Ibrahim al-Khalili, Al Jazeera correspondent reporting on returned Palestinian bodies and family identifications. Hind Khoudary, Al Jazeera reporter on-the-ground at Rafah covering restricted crossings and evacuations. They discuss limited Rafah access, delays and confusion at departure points, medical evacuations, returned bodies and resignations tied to a suppressed report.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Rafah Reopening Falls Far Short
- The Rafah crossing reopened but restrictions make it unable to meet Gaza's medical evacuation needs.
- Hind Khoudary reports only about 30 out of an estimated 20,000 patients left for treatment, showing severe shortfall.
Crossing Stories Of Confusion And Mistreatment
- Palestinians at the Palestinian Red Crescent described confusion and long waits at Rafah with interrogation and mistreatment.
- Hind Khoudary conveys firsthand accounts of people being handcuffed, blindfolded and harassed when crossing.
Bodies Returned Without Identification
- Israel returned 54 bodies to Gaza with little identification, worsening families' grief and uncertainty.
- Ibrahim al-Khalili reports forensic exams are needed but images and records were unclear or missing.