Press
Israel threatens Hamas with a major offensive and orders the “evacuation” of the civilian population. Many Palestinians’ only option is to flee to Egypt.
Gaza – For his imminent offensive on the city of Rafah Israel’s military has this Gaza Strip “extreme violence” was threatened and the civilian population was asked to “evacuate”. But many people who came weeks ago from other regions of the Gaza Strip from the Israeli attacks against the Hamas have fled and no longer know where to go. This is what the news agency reports Reuters and the Arabic-language news channel AlJazeerawhose office in Israel was closed over the weekend.
According to reports from the city, the evacuation order applies primarily to the eastern parts of the city and the western area near the border crossing with Egypt. “It’s raining heavily and we don’t know where to go. “I was afraid that this day would come and now I have to see what happens next for me and my family,” quoted Reuters a Palestinian who sought refuge with his family in Rafah.
Israel is planning an attack on Rafah: the border crossing into Egypt should remain open for the time being
As the German press agency reported, the Rafah border crossing, which leads from the Gaza Strip to Egypt on the Sinai Peninsula, was still open on Monday afternoon, contrary to initial reports to the contrary. The agency relies on reports from the border authority on the Palestinian side. Egypt has opened the transit area for Palestinians to leave the country. Egyptian security circles say that deliveries of aid to the Gaza Strip will continue to be allowed through.
For months, Rafah has been overcrowded with refugees from other regions of the Gaza Strip who have been fearing a long-announced Israeli attack for weeks. According to authorities, this is intended to eliminate other leading figures in the terrorist militia Hamas and thus force the release of the remaining hostages after the attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Human rights organizations, on the other hand, fear that the offensive will once again endanger civilians in particular. Israel, on the other hand, argues, according to agency reports, that the major offensive has no alternative after the failed negotiations with Hamas.
Criticism of Israel’s military plans: Organization speaks of serious humanitarian consequences
According to one Al JezeeraIn response to Israel’s announcement, the international non-profit organization Islamic Relief has spoken out and warned that Israel’s attack will “inevitably” result in deaths among the Palestinian civilian population. The organization stressed in a statement on Monday that it was “impossible” to “force so many people to leave an area” without facing severe humanitarian consequences.
The Israeli military contradicts the allegations and announced through a spokesman a “limited operation” that would call on around 100,000 people to flee. Israel is calling on Palestinians in the affected areas to move to an “enhanced humanitarian zone” in the Al-Mawasi area where food, water and medicine are available. According to information from Wall Street Journal Israel wants to carry out its ground offensive in Rafah in stages. The paper wrote of two to three weeks of evacuation and six weeks of offensive. (saka with dpa)
#Rafah #threatens #nightmare #scenario #Israeli #offensive