Israel’s military has begun moving civilians out of Rafah, a possible prelude to a long-expected attack on the city in Gaza.
The Israel Defense Forces “will act with extreme force against terrorist organizations in your areas of residence,” a spokesman said on X on Monday morning. He urged residents of eastern Rafah to go north to an “expanded humanitarian area” near Khan Younis, another city in Gaza.
The move comes after cease-fire talks between Hamas and Israel in Cbbairo seemed to stall. Hamas also killed three Israeli soldiers with a rocket barrage on Sunday on the border crossing of Kerem Shalom. Kan News, Israel’s main broadcaster, said the IDF was preparing a ground operation in Rafa.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has for months said that civilians in Rafah would be moved out before any attack. There are roughly 1.4 million in the city, most of whom fled there after the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October. It’s unclear how long it would take for the bulk of the civilians to leave. Israeli officials privately admit it could take weeks, while the US has expressed doubts that it can be done safely. Most Arab and many European states have said Israel should not attack Rafah, fearing it would cause a mass of casualties. Many civilians may choose to remain in Rafah if they’re unsure of the conditions where they’re going — Khan Younis, several miles from Rafah, has largely been destroyed since the war began on Oct. 7. Hamas, considered a terrorist organization by the US and European Union, may also prevent some of them from leaving.
Israel says Rafah is the last bastion of Hamas, with about 5,000 to 8,000 of its fighters and senior leaders lodged in the city, as well as many Israeli hostages.
The war erupted when Hamas attacked southern Israel from Gaza, killing 1,200 people and taking 250 hostage. Israel’s bombardment and ground attack on the Palestinian territory has killed almost 35,000 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
Israel publishes evacuation map for Gazans
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) unveiled an evacuation map on Monday for Rafah residents. Disseminated through flyers, text messages, and phone calls, the map provided instructions to evacuate specific neighborhoods in the eastern neighborhoods of Rafah and not the entire city in southern Gaza.
The messages added that “in accordance with the approval of the government, an ongoing situation assessment will guide the gradual movement of civilians in the specified areas in eastern Rafah to the humanitarian area.”
As per the military’s statement, the expanded humanitarian zone encompassing the al-Mawasi and Khan Younis areas includes provisions such as field hospitals and tent camps for displaced Palestinians. Despite the closure of the Kerem Shalom Crossing, the military affirms its commitment to sustaining the distribution of humanitarian aid at its current level.
NN: Audio File