In a move signaling a potential escalation in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) has instructed Palestinians in eastern Rafah to evacuate the area, hinting at an impending ground invasion. The directive, revealed by the Associated Press after accessing an IDF statement on Monday, urges residents to relocate to Muwasi, a designated humanitarian zone along the coast.
Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, spokesperson for the IDF, described the operation as “limited in scope” but refrained from confirming whether it marks the outset of a broader incursion into the city. This development follows a deadly rocket attack carried out by Hamas militants from the Rafah area, which claimed the lives of three Israeli soldiers.
The tension escalated further as retaliatory airstrikes by Israel on Sunday reportedly resulted in the deaths of 16 individuals in Rafah, according to medics and first responders in Gaza. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, on Sunday, accused Hamas of disregarding proposed truce agreements and warned of a forthcoming “powerful operation” in Rafah.
The town of Rafah, currently hosting more than 1.4 million Palestinians, has become a focal point amid the ongoing conflict initiated by Hamas’s attacks on October 7. The AFP reports that these attacks led to over 1,170 casualties, predominantly civilians. Additionally, militants seized approximately 250 hostages during the assaults, with Israel estimating that 128 remain in captivity, including 35 presumed deceased.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive, aimed at dismantling Hamas, has resulted in a staggering death toll of at least 34,683 in Gaza, predominantly women and children, according to the territory’s health ministry under Hamas control. The civilian casualties have strained relations between Israel and its primary military ally, the United States.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized on Friday that Hamas stands as the obstacle to a ceasefire in Gaza. Both Blinken and President Joe Biden have publicly expressed disapproval of any operation in Rafah that fails to prioritize civilian safety.
Despite international pressure to cease hostilities, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a defiant address commemorating Holocaust Memorial Day, affirmed his commitment to the operation in Rafah. “If Israel is forced to stand alone, Israel will stand alone,” declared Netanyahu, dismissing external pressures and vowing to defend the nation.
