Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the military to prepare to evacuate civilians from the southern Gazan city of Rafah ahead of an expanded offensive against Hamas. Some 1.5 million Palestinians are currently sheltering in Rafah, having fled combat operations elsewhere in Gaza.
The United States has warned that an invasion of Rafah would be a 'disaster', while the European Union and the United Nations have expressed deep concern. Aid groups say it is not feasible to evacuate everyone from the city.
Mr Netanyahu instructed military and security officials to 'submit to the cabinet a combined plan for evacuating the population and destroying the battalions' of Hamas, his office confirmed on Friday. The statement added that 'intense activity in Rafah requires that civilians evacuate the areas of combat'.
Earlier this week, Mr Netanyahu rejected Hamas's latest ceasefire proposal, and talks in Cairo are now on hold. Most of the people in Rafah are living in tents, having been displaced multiple times.
The head of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, described 'a sense of growing anxiety and panic in Rafah', warning that any large-scale military operation would cause 'an additional layer of endless tragedy'. On Friday, Israeli air strikes killed at least 15 people across Gaza, including eight in Rafah, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
