The Israeli army ordered tens of thousands of residents in the southern Gaza city of Rafah to begin evacuating on Monday, raising the possibility of a long-predicted ground invasion.
Foreign mediators, including the head of the CIA, were making last-ditch attempts to arrange a cease-fire, but the news made those efforts more difficult. Hamas and Qatar, which is a crucial mediator, have warned that an assault on Rafah could disrupt the negotiations.
Rafah has been identified by Israel as the last substantial bastion held by Hamas after seven months of battle, and Israel's officials have said on many occasions that they need a land invasion in order to destroy the Islamic terrorist organization.
Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani, speaking on behalf of the army, instructed approximately 100,000 individuals to relocate to the nearby humanitarian zone known as Muwasi. He stated that Israel was preparing for a "limited scope operation," yet he refrained from commenting on whether this marked the start of a more comprehensive invasion of the city. The Israeli government, however, did not make a public announcement at the beginning of the ground invasion that is still ongoing to this day.
A day after Hamas terrorists launched a fatal missile strike from the region, resulting in the deaths of three Israeli troops, this move has made its appearance.
According to Shoshani, Israel has released a map of the evacuation area and is sending instructions via radio broadcasts, text messages, and leaflets dropped from the sky.
According to him, Israel has increased its humanitarian assistance to Muwasi, including the provision of field hospitals, tents, food, and water.
Israel's intention to invade Rafah has caused widespread concern around the world because it could potentially inflict damage on more than one million Palestinians who are currently taking refuge there.
Around 1.4 million Palestinians, or more than half of Gaza's total population, are crammed inside the town and the grounds surrounding it. The majority of Palestinians, who fled their homes in other parts of the territory to escape Israel's onslaught, now face the prospect of yet another agonizing evacuation or the possibility of facing the brunt of a fresh attack. In addition to living in overcrowded flats, overcrowded tent camps, or overcrowded United Nations shelters, they are reliant on foreign assistance for their nutritional needs. Furthermore, the infrastructure of sanitation systems and medical facilities suffers significant damage.
With the assertion that it does not possess a credible plan to safeguard civilians, the United States of America, which is Israel's most trusted partner, has repeatedly urged Israel to refrain from carrying out the invasion.
Nevertheless, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last week that the military will march on the town "with or without a deal" in order to accomplish its objective of eradicating the Hamas terrorist organization. This takes place despite the fact that the United States of America, Egypt, and Qatar have been working to reach a cease-fire agreement.
A strong operation is going to take place in Rafah in the very near future, according to Yoav Gallant, the Minister of Defense, who made the accusation on Sunday that Hamas was not serious about a settlement. His words come after Hamas carried out an assault on Israel's primary crossing point on Sunday, which resulted in the deaths of three soldiers from the Israeli military.
Shoshani refused to comment on whether or not the impending operation in Rafah is a reaction to the killing that occurred on Sunday. He stated that the event will not affect the amount of desperately needed assistance entering Gaza, as other crossings remain operational.
However, he declined to address the United States' warnings against invasion and remained uncertain about the coordination of the evacuation with Egypt.
Egypt, a crucial ally of Israel, has stated that any move to force Palestinians into Egypt or any Israeli military control over the demilitarized Gaza-Egypt border would jeopardize Egypt's peace agreement with Israel, which has been in effect for the past 40 years.
