Israeli Prime Minister Orders Plan to Evacuate Rafah Ahead of Expected Invasion
In a surprising turn of events, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the military to prepare a plan to evacuate the population of Rafah, a town in the southern Gaza Strip. This announcement comes after international criticism of Israel’s plan to invade the crowded town on Egypt’s border. Israel claims that Rafah is the last remaining stronghold of Hamas and that it needs to send in troops to complete its war plan against the Islamic militant group. However, an estimated 1.5 million Palestinians have sought refuge in Rafah after fleeing fighting elsewhere in Gaza.
Netanyahu emphasized the need for a “massive operation” in Rafah and requested security officials to present a “double plan” that includes both the evacuation of civilians and a military operation to dismantle the remaining Hamas militant units. The Israeli leader’s decision comes after airstrikes targeted Rafah earlier on Friday, following warnings from the Biden administration and aid agencies against expanding the ground offensive to the town where more than half of Gaza’s population has sought shelter.
The recent airstrikes resulted in the destruction of two residential buildings in Rafah, as well as other sites in central Gaza, including a kindergarten-turned-shelter for displaced Palestinians. Tragically, twenty-two people lost their lives in these attacks. U.S. President Joe Biden expressed his concern over Israel’s conduct in the war, describing it as “over the top” and criticizing the soaring civilian death toll in Gaza. The Health Ministry in Gaza, which is controlled by Hamas, reported that the overall Palestinian death toll is now approaching 28,000, with about two-thirds being women and children. It is important to note that this count does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
Israel’s intentions to expand its ground offensive to Rafah have sparked a public backlash in Washington. State Department spokesman Vedant Patel stated that there is no evidence of serious planning for such an operation and that proceeding with it in an area where a million people are seeking shelter would be disastrous. Similarly, John Kirby, the National Security Council spokesperson, made it clear that the U.S. does not support an Israeli ground offensive in Rafah.
Aid agency officials have also expressed concerns about the potential consequences of a Rafah offensive. Catherine Russell, head of the U.N. children’s agency UNICEF, emphasized the importance of keeping Gaza’s remaining hospitals, shelters, markets, and water systems functional to prevent hunger and disease from skyrocketing and claiming more lives, particularly those of children.
The war, now in its fifth month, has left Israeli ground forces focused on the city of Khan Younis, just north of Rafah. However, Netanyahu has repeatedly stated that Rafah will be the next target, causing panic among the hundreds of thousands of displaced people in the area.
Netanyahu’s words have also alarmed Egypt, which has warned that any ground operation in the Rafah area or mass displacement across the border would undermine its 40-year-old peace treaty with Israel. The Gaza-Egypt border is the main entry point for humanitarian aid.
The situation in Rafah remains dire, with overnight airstrikes causing further destruction and loss of life. Residential buildings were targeted, resulting in the deaths of several individuals, including children. Witnesses described the devastating impact of these attacks and the desperation felt by the affected civilians.
More than half of Gaza’s population has sought refuge in Rafah, following Israeli evacuation orders. However, even in these areas of refuge, Israel continues to launch airstrikes against what it claims are Hamas targets. The Israeli government holds Hamas responsible for civilian casualties due to its operation from civilian areas.
Israel’s air and ground offensive, which has been ongoing for four months, has had a devastating impact on the Palestinian population. Local health officials report that nearly 28,000 Palestinians have been killed, and over 67,000 have been wounded. The war has forced most people from their homes and pushed a quarter of the population towards starvation.
President Biden has been actively working towards a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. He has expressed his tireless efforts to press both parties to agree on an extended pause in fighting, which would be linked to the release of dozens of hostages still believed to be in Hamas captivity. However, Netanyahu has rejected Hamas’ demands for a hostage deal, dismissing them as delusional.
As the conflict continues, Israel’s war goals appear increasingly elusive. Hamas has reemerged in parts of northern Gaza, which was the initial target of the offensive and has suffered widespread destruction. Israel has only managed to rescue one hostage, while Hamas claims that several have been killed in airstrikes or failed rescue missions.
The situation in Rafah remains tense as the population awaits the implementation of Netanyahu’s evacuation plan. The international community continues to express concerns about the escalating violence and the impact it is having on innocent civilians. The hope for a peaceful resolution to this devastating conflict remains uncertain.
