Israel on Monday called for the evacuation of Palestinians from eastern Rafah, in the clearest sign yet that it is preparing to invade the southern Gaza city.
Rafah, where some 1.3 million Palestinians are believed to be sheltering, has so far been mostly spared from attack in the seven-month conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Israel’s closest allies, including the United States and Britain, had urged it to call off the operation to avoid further civilian casualties, and aid organisations warn that any operation would do major damage to Gaza’s last remaining infrastructure, with a high loss of life “inevitable”.
Hopes have been high that negotiations for another hostage deal would save the city from invasion, but Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has vowed to send ground troops regardless of any truce.