The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have urged residents of the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip to evacuate the area and move to the so-called “extended humanitarian zone,” according to local media reports.
The IDF notes that they are informing the population of Rafah through posters, text messages, phone calls, and appeals in Arabic-language media.
“This morning, we began a limited-scale operation for the temporary evacuation of residents in the eastern part of Rafah,” a representative of the Israel Defense Forces told journalists.
According to official Israeli data, the evacuation is necessary for approximately 100,000 people.
Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant informed U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin that Israel has no choice but to launch an offensive in Rafah. According to Galant, Hamas militants are firing on Israeli army positions from Rafah.
The defense minister detailed the “numerous efforts that Israel is making to achieve [an agreement] on the release of hostages and a temporary ceasefire” and stated that Hamas “rejects any proposals that would make this possible” at present.
