The Israeli military plans to direct a significant portion of the 1.4 million displaced Palestinians living in the southernmost town of Rafah toward humanitarian islands in the center of the territory ahead of its planned offensive in the area. Rafah is also Gaza’s main entry point for desperately needed aid. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said a Rafah offensive is crucial to achieve Israel’s stated aim of destroying Hamas following the militants’ Oct. 7 attack, which killed more than 31,000 people, left much of the enclave in ruins, and displaced some 80% of Gaza’s 2.3 million people.
Israel’s chief military spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said moving those in Rafah to the designated areas was a key part of the military’s preparations for its anticipated invasion of Rafah, where Israel says Hamas maintains four battalions it wants to destroy. Rafah has swelled in size in the last few months as Palestinians in Gaza have fled fighting in nearly every other corner of the territory. Hagari said that they need to make sure that 1.4 million people, or at least a significant amount of the 1.4 million, will move to humanitarian islands that they will create with the international community.
Rafah has swelled in size in the last few months as Palestinians in Gaza have fled fighting in nearly every other corner of the territory. The town is covered in tents. Hagari said that “we need to make sure that 1.4 million people or at least a significant amount of the 1.4 million will move. Where? To humanitarian islands that we will create with the international community,” Hagari told reporters at a briefing. He did not say when Rafah’s evacuation would occur or when the Rafah offensive would begin, saying that Israel wanted the timing to be right operationally and to be coordinated with neighboring Egypt, which has said it does not want an influx of displaced Palestinians crossing its border.
(AP)
