The Israeli military on Monday told Palestinian civilians to relocate from parts of Rafah, signaling an imminent ground assault into Gaza’s southernmost city, where more than a million people are taking refuge.
Palestinians inspect the scale of destruction among the debris of destroyed buildings following the ... [+]
In a post on X, the Israeli Defense Forces said it has “expanded the humanitarian area” in Al-Mawasi—located to the north of Rafah—and will “guide the gradual movement of civilians” from parts of eastern Rafah to this area.
The IDF said it will use fliers, text messages, phone calls and Arabic broadcasts to urge civilians to move to the expanded humanitarian area that includes tents, field hospitals, and increased aid supplies.
An IDF spokesperson said the evacuation order covers around 100,000 people and is being carried out to prepare for a “limited scope operation” into the southern Gazan city.
The spokesperson did not specify a timeline for completing the evacuation or the start of military operations in Rafah.
More than 1.2 million. The number of Palestinians taking refuge in Rafah—more than half of Gaza’s entire population—according to the World Health Organization. Most of the people sheltering in Rafah have been forced to flee their homes in other parts of the enclave amid the ongoing war.