Israeli soldiers in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip (Reuters)
The Israeli Prime Minister's Office said on Friday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had approved plans to launch a military operation in Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, despite international warnings that an invasion of the city crowded with displaced people would lead to a major massacre.
The announcement of the approval of the plans came a day after Netanyahu announced that he would not yield to international pressure to dissuade him from carrying out a military operation in Rafah.
The Israeli Prime Minister said that the aim of the attack on Rafah was to eliminate the remaining Hamas brigades.
Netanyahu and other Israeli officials claim that the Israeli army has eliminated about three-quarters of Hamas' military battalions since the start of the ground invasion of the Gaza Strip late last October.
Israeli media said that the Israeli army is not ready to begin a military operation in Rafah, even if the political leadership approves plans for that.
In the past few days, US President Joe Biden and officials in his administration confirmed that Washington will not support an Israeli military operation in Rafah “unless there is a plan for the security of civilians” there.
For his part, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi warned today of the consequences of the possible Israeli invasion of Rafah.
Population evacuation
Meanwhile, Israeli army spokesman Ari Shalikar said today that the army will work to transfer civilians in the city of Rafah to a “safe area” if the army carries out a military operation there.
Shalikar added that the Israeli army suspects the presence of Hamas leaders in the city of Rafah, as well as many remaining fighters from the movement.
The Israeli spokesman added that if a military operation is launched in Rafah, residents will be transferred to safer areas such as Al-Mawasi camp.
The Al-Mawasi area is about 28 kilometers south of Gaza City, and is divided into two areas administratively affiliated with the Khan Yunis and Rafah governorates.
Rafah includes about 1.5 million people, most of whom are displaced people who fled from the north and center of the Strip.
Over the past weeks, Rafah had been subjected to Israeli raids that caused large numbers of martyrs. Two days ago, the bombing targeted the largest warehouse belonging to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the city.
Source: Al Jazeera + agencies