Israel plans to direct Palestinians out of Gaza’s Rafah before anticipated offensive
- Israel is planning a large-scale military offensive in Gaza’s Rafah despite warnings from world leaders
- About 1.4 million Palestinians are seeking shelter in the southern town, with the war now in its sixth month
The Israeli military said it plans to direct a significant portion of the 1.4 million displaced Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip’s southernmost town of Rafah toward “humanitarian islands” in the centre of the territory ahead of its planned offensive in the area.
The fate of the people in Rafah has been a major area of concern of Israel’s allies – including the United States – and humanitarian groups, worried an offensive in the region densely crowded with so many displaced people would be a catastrophe.
Rafah is also Gaza’s main entry point for desperately needed aid.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said a Rafah offensive is crucial to achieve Israel’s stated aim of destroying Hamas following the militants’ October 7 attack in which about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and around 250 taken hostage and brought into Gaza.
Israel’s invasion of Gaza has killed more than 31,000, according to Gaza health officials, left much of the enclave in ruins and displaced some 80 per cent of Gaza’s 2.3 million people.