Sohab El Ard: All Crossings Are Closed Except Rafah With Egypt

 

 

“All the crossings are closed, the only one open is the Rafah crossing with Egypt.” A powerful scene from Sohab El Ard dismantles the Israeli occupation’s narrative and highlights the role of Egypt and its people in supporting our brothers and sisters in Gaza.

 

 

This fact was clear in a scene where Nasser (Eyad Nassar) talks with his friend about finding a way to leave Gaza to see his daughters. His friend tells him it’s very difficult at the moment and suggests that he find his passport and leave for Egypt with Younes for treatment, and from there escape the horrors of the bombardment. He also advises keeping his daughters out of Palestine so they can reunite. Nasser reflects on their conversation.

 

Later, he goes to the ruins of his family home, where he finds his brother Majd (Adam Bakri). Majd tells him that their brother Osama and his entire family were martyred, except Younes. Majd urges Nasser to take care of Younes, and together with a few friends, they perform a Salat al-Gha’ib (funeral prayer in absentia) for Osama and his family in front of the ruins. Majd tells Nasser that they must find the bodies to bury them.

 

A heated discussion follows between Nasser and Majd about leaving Gaza and living outside Palestine. Nasser expresses his desire to get permission and papers to leave Gaza and protect his daughters abroad. Adam becomes angry and tells him that every Palestinian must hold on to life inside the homeland, even if it costs their life, saying: “Die in your land, rather than live a stranger outside it.”

 

Meanwhile, Salma talks to Raghad (Kira Aghnim), telling her that she had been married and had a son named Malik, who was six years old but had passed away, leaving her deeply affected.

 

During the episode, Cairo News Channel makes a notable appearance. Karma (Tara Abboud) is worried about her father (Eyad Nassar) after learning about the bombing of her family home in Gaza and losing contact with him. While following events on TV, she sees him in front of the hospital where Younes is located, which reassures her about his safety. Sitting with her grandmother (Diana Rahme) and sisters, she jokingly asks if she saw her father on TV, to which her grandmother replies: “Why, is he Adel Imam?”—a lighthearted moment in an otherwise tense episode.

 

The episode continues with Karma trying to reach her father after hearing loud noises during a previous call, but her uncle Majd tells her he doesn’t know his father’s whereabouts and only found his phone in the ruins. She is shocked, especially after learning about the bombing of the house and not knowing whether her father is still alive.

 

Meanwhile, Salma (Menna Shalabi) collapses after the bombing of the hospital in Gaza. Raghad helps her regain consciousness, and Salma begins to cry silently due to the tragic situation in Gaza. The hospital director asks to meet her; he tells her such events are frequent in the hospital and encourages her to continue her work despite the challenges, noting that only one operating room remains and they need to manage patient schedules to help as many as possible.

 

At the same time, Younes, Nasser’s nephew, wakes up after the hospital bombing. Nasser tries to check on him and learns he needs urgent surgery, prompting Nasser to search for water and a critical solution for the operation.

 

Later, Salma contacts her aunt Thuraya (Enas El Falaki) to request an A-arm X-ray device for surgeries, trying to convince her of the urgent need to get Younes into Rafah Hospital, especially for the safety of children in the Gaza Strip.