Reports from Reuters, citing eyewitnesses, indicate that some Palestinian families are evacuating the eastern neighborhoods of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip following Israel's evacuation announcement for the area.
Eyewitness Abu Muhei shared, "The Israeli military is instructing residents of the eastern suburbs of Rafah, as well as those west of the Rafah crossing, to vacate the city... We're uncertain about our next steps, but I'm relocating my family to Deir al-Balah, although my neighborhood hasn't yet seen direct conflict."
The exodus commenced after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued evacuation notices to Palestinians in the eastern neighborhoods of Rafah. Through various channels, including posters, text messages, phone calls, and media broadcasts, the IDF is urging civilians to seek refuge in nearby humanitarian zones. Although no specific timeline has been set, it is estimated that approximately 100,000 people may be relocated as part of a "limited scale" evacuation.
The Times of Israel previously reported that the IDF initiated the evacuation of civilians from Rafah's eastern neighborhoods in preparation for a forthcoming military operation. Civilians have been offered relocation to an expanded humanitarian area in al-Mawasi and Khan Younis.
On February 9, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced his directive to the military to prepare a plan for evacuating civilians and neutralizing the remaining four Hamas battalions in Rafah. While various world leaders and international organizations have urged Israel to reconsider deploying troops to Rafah, the United States opposes the plan, citing concerns over civilian casualties and the security implications for Israel. Nevertheless, Israeli authorities, under Netanyahu's leadership, remain committed to their operation plans, asserting that troop deployment in Rafah is essential for achieving "complete victory" over Hamas fighters.
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Based on materials from TASS