For a "limited" operation, Israel commands Gaza residents to leave a portion of Rafah

For a "limited" operation, Israel commands Gaza residents to leave a portion of Rafah

Ahead of a "limited" assault in the southern Gaza Strip, the Israeli military claims it has started directing Palestinians to evacuate some areas of eastern Rafah.

One hundred thousand people are being told to go to Khan Younis and al-Mawasi, which is a "extended humanitarian area."

Israel claims that Rafah is necessary to overcome Hamas after a seven-month conflict.

However, the United Nations and the United States of America caution that an attack on the city, where over a million Palestinian refugees are seeking refuge, may have disastrous effects.

After three Israeli soldiers were killed by Hamas rocket fire at the neighboring Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom border crossing, which serves as the main entrance point for supplies into Gaza, Israeli air strikes in Rafah are alleged to have killed at least 19 Palestinians overnight.

The latest attempts to broker a fresh truce and hostage release agreement failed, despite the mediators' insistence that they would not give up.

Live: The Israeli military requests that people evacuate certain areas of Rafah

Following the deaths of three troops, Rafah reported deadly Israeli attacks.

"My kids cling to me while dogs dig graves close to our shelter."

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokeswoman Lt Col Nadav Shoshani emphasized that the operation planned in Rafah was of "limited scope" during a first briefing to media on Monday morning.

He stated that no timeline had been given and that the evacuation, which would impact some 100,000 people, would happen "gradually."

That won't, however, assuage the concerns of the residents and the more nearly a million Palestinian refugees jammed into the southernmost city of Gaza that a larger onslaught is imminent.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, has insisted for months that a full-scale attack against Hamas is necessary to defeat the organization.

Israel claims that Rafah is home to the four Hamas battalions that are still active, totaling thousands of combatants.

The UN, Western nations, and Arab organizations have all cautioned against carrying out a large-scale ground assault in Rafah because to the potential for significant civilian fatalities.

Meetings have been held between representatives of Israel and the United States, its closest ally, to propose other, more targeted approaches. It's unclear whether they include the most recent evacuation instructions.

According to Israeli estimates, the conflict in Gaza started on October 7 when Hamas militants invaded southern Israel, killing over 1,200 people and taking 252 captives.

Since then, more than 34,600 people have died in Gaza, according to the health ministry, which is controlled by Hamas.