Israeli army tells 1,00,000 civilians to temporarily evacuate parts of Rafah

AHEAD of a planned operation in southern Gaza, Israel has asked 1,00,000 Palestinians to evacuate eastern parts of Rafah. Israel has described Rafah as the last significant Hamas stronghold.

The development comes a day after Hamas militants carried out a deadly rocket attack from the area that killed three Israeli soldiers.

"Israel was preparing a "limited scope operation" and would not say whether this was the beginning of a broader invasion of the city," PTI quoted Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an army spokesman as saying.

Here are 10 things we know

1) Some 1,00,000 people have been ordered to move to a nearby Israel-declared humanitarian zone called Muwasi.

2) Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an army spokesman said that the operation is part of the endeavour to dismantle Hamas.

3) The Israeli military is using text messages, flyers and social media to tell people to move.

4) The military has expanded assistance into the area, including field hospitals, tents, food and water.

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5) In a statement on Monday, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said that Israeli military action in Rafah is required due to Hamas' refusals of mediated proposals for a Gaza truce under which the Palestinian Islamist group would free some hostages, reported Reuters. 

6) About 1.2 million people are currently sheltering in Rafah, according to the World Health Organization, reported AFP.

7) Posters, text messages, phone calls and media announcements would be used to “encourage ... the gradual movement of civilians in the specified area.

8) The military said that it was not setting a timeframe for the Rafah evacuation, however, but would make operational assessments.

9) Evacuations were focused on a few peripheral districts of Rafah, from which evacuees would be directed to tent cities in nearby Khan Younis and Al Muwassi, Reuters quoted Army Radio as saying.

10) The incident would not affect the amounts of badly needed aid entering Gaza because other crossing points remain operational, said an army spokesman.

The war began after Hamas stunned Israel with a cross-border raid on October 7, 2023. According to Israeli tallies, 1,200 people were killed and 252 taken hostages.