Israeli ground invasion of southern Gaza’s Rafah appears imminent, as reported by Israeli media on Wednesday. The city, already crowded with over 1 million displaced Palestinians, is bracing for the impending incursion.
According to Israel Hayom, the decision to move forward with the ground operation came after Hamas rejected the latest truce proposal from Israel. Tens of thousands of tents have been procured by Israel to evacuate Palestinian civilians from Rafah in the coming weeks.
Videos circulating online show tents being set up in nearby Khan Younis, indicating preparations for the displacement of residents from Rafah. Satellite images from Maxar Technologies also reveal rows of tents at a site in Khan Younis and on the outskirts of Rafah.
Israeli commander Itzik Cohen warned Hamas of the impending operation, stating that the IDF would enter Rafah soon. The Israeli military has mobilized two reservist brigades for operations in the Gaza Strip.
Rafah, already struggling with overpopulation and poverty due to a 17-year blockade, has seen its population swell to around 1.5 million after Palestinians were forcibly relocated from northern and central Gaza.
As tensions escalate in the region, the fate of Rafah hangs in the balance, with the specter of a large-scale ground invasion looming over the city and its displaced residents. Stay tuned for further updates on this developing situation.