Where is Rafah, the city Israel plans to invade?

Israel Orders Evacuation of 100,000 People from Rafah in Gaza Amid Fears of Ground Invasion

Israel has issued an urgent order for the evacuation of more than 100,000 people from the city of Rafah in Gaza, as fears of a ground invasion escalate. The city, home to about 1.4 million Palestinians, has become a densely packed area with residents living in tent camps, shelters, and overcrowded apartments after fleeing to Rafah in hopes of escaping Israel’s attacks.

On Monday, residents of Rafah received flyers in Arabic instructing them to move to a nearby Israel-declared humanitarian zone called Muwasi. The flyers outlined which neighborhood blocks needed to be evacuated and where humanitarian zones had expanded to. The flyers also warned that anyone found near militant organizations would be endangering themselves and their families, urging immediate evacuation to the expanded humanitarian area.

Rafah, located in the south of Gaza near the border of Egypt, has become a focal point in the conflict between Israel and Hamas. The city, split into Gazan and Egyptian parts after Israel withdrew from the Sinai Peninsula in 1982, is now believed to be a stronghold for Hamas operatives by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israel has described Rafah as the last significant Hamas stronghold after seven months of war, leading to the decision to order the evacuation and potentially launch a ground invasion. The international community has expressed concerns over Israel’s actions in Rafah, with calls for a ceasefire and warnings of civilian suffering and deaths.

UNRWA, the European Union, and politicians from the UK and France have condemned Israel’s evacuation orders and potential offensive in Rafah. Charities have also raised alarms about the lack of safe places for Palestinians to evacuate to, highlighting the dire humanitarian situation in the city.

As tensions continue to rise in Rafah, the world watches closely to see how the situation unfolds and whether efforts to prevent further escalation will be successful. The fate of the city and its residents hangs in the balance as the conflict between Israel and Hamas shows no signs of abating.