A senior official in the Israeli Ministry of Defense has confirmed that the Israeli army is preparing to evacuate Palestinian civilians from Rafah and to attack Hamas strongholds in the city, which is located in the southern Gaza Strip, despite international warnings of a humanitarian disaster. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government stated that Israel will "proceed" with a ground operation but did not specify a timeline. The defense official noted that the ministry has purchased 40,000 tents, each capable of accommodating between 10 and 12 people, for Palestinians who will be moved from Rafah.
Social media footage has shown rows of square white tents in Khan Younis, located about five kilometers from Rafah. An Israeli government source indicated that the war cabinet, headed by Netanyahu, intends to meet within the next two weeks to approve the evacuation of civilians in an operation expected to last approximately a month. The defense official mentioned that the army could start operations immediately, but is waiting for the green light from Netanyahu.
Rafah, adjacent to the Egyptian border, is home to over one million Palestinians who have been displaced due to the ongoing Israeli attacks over the past six months throughout the rest of the Gaza Strip, and they express that the prospect of being displaced again terrifies them. The invasion is a response to the "Al-Aqsa Flood" operation.
Israel, which launched its war to eliminate Hamas after the attacks on October 7 against Israeli towns, states that Rafah has four complete combat battalions belonging to Hamas, claiming that these battalions have received reinforcements from thousands of militants withdrawing from other areas and that they must be defeated to achieve victory. Brigadier General Itzik Cohen, commander of the 162nd division active in Gaza, told the public broadcasting authority (Kan Radio) on Tuesday, "Hamas has suffered a severe blow in the northern sector. They also received a strong hit in the central sector. Soon they will receive a strong blow in Rafah as well."
However, Washington, Israel's closest ally, has called for the abandonment of the attack plans, stating that Israel can fight Hamas militants there through alternative means. David Satterfield, the U.S. special envoy for humanitarian issues in the Middle East, told reporters on Tuesday, "We cannot support a ground operation in Rafah without a proper, credible, and implementable humanitarian plan, specifically due to the complexities involved in delivering aid." He added, "We continue discussions with Israel regarding what we believe are alternative ways to address the challenge we recognize, which is the military presence of Hamas in Rafah."
Egypt has stated that it will not allow the residents of Gaza to cross its borders. The General Authority for Information mentioned that Cairo has warned Israel against moving in Rafah, as this step would "lead to massacres, significant human losses, and widespread destruction."
