As the Rafah invasion approaches, Israel asks 100,000 Palestinian refugees to move

Refugees were asked to Al Mawasi and parts of Khan Younis. The land invasion of Rafah could be launched immediately.

AFP

Search for victims of the Israeli attack on Rafah, Sunday (5/5/2024).

GAZA, MONDAY — Israel asks at least 100,000 refugees Palestinians in Gaza to flee again . It is feared that this order is an indication that Rafah will soon be invaded by Israel.

On Monday (6/5/2024) early morning, Israel issued an evacuation ultimatum. The Israeli military (IDF) claimed that it would be dangerous for civilians to remain in the location that has been ordered to be emptied.

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Residents from the designated location must be evacuated and prohibited from approaching the border fence between Gaza and Israel. After the ultimatum was announced, Egypt immediately closed the Rafah border gate.

Operations in Rafah and other parts of Gaza will be carried out in the near future.

An ultimatum was issued a few hours after further negotiations in Cairo, Egypt failed. Hamas representatives returned to Qatar after it was confirmed that there would be no agreement from the meeting.

AFP

Residents of Gaza express their gratitude for the support of students at various universities in the United States. The statement was delivered in Rafah in April 2024.

IDF spokesperson, Nadav Shoshani, stated that there were 100,000 people affected by the order. They were asked to go to Al Mawasi and some to Khan Younis. Israel claimed to have prepared tents in both areas.

Evacuation orders were given to refugees between Rafah and Al Bayuk. The majority of those affected are refugees from several other areas in Gaza.

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Shoshani did not say how long the evacuation would take to complete. He only emphasized that the evacuation plan was limited to the locations ordered.

Reported by The Jerusalem Post, the Israeli cabinet decided on the evacuation order on Sunday night. After the decision was made, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant informed United States Defense Minister Lloyd Austin.

To Austin, Gallant argued that Israel has no other choice. "Operations in Rafah and other parts of Gaza will soon be carried out in the near future," he said.

AFP

Refugees in Rafah buy food, Saturday (4/5/2024).

A spokesperson for the US Department of Defense, Pat Ryder, confirmed that Gallant called Austin. According to Ryder, they discussed negotiations regarding hostages. They also discussed the supply of humanitarian aid to Gaza and the issue of Rafah.

Austin, as identified by Ryder, emphasizes that the attack on Rafah must be accompanied by a clear plan to protect civilians. The attack plan must also be followed by a guarantee of the delivery of humanitarian aid supplies to Gaza.

Change support

The United States does not fully support the attack on Rafah. During his visit to Israel last week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that a massive attack on Rafah could reverse the opinion of US citizens about Israel. The relationship between Israel and the US could also be negatively impacted by an attack on Rafah.

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Demonstration in support of Palestine in Massachusetts of Technology, United States, April 22 2024.

US National Security Council Coordinator John Kirby and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan have also expressed the US stance on the planned attack on Rafah. Kirby stated that Israel understands President Joe Biden's stance on the plan to attack Rafah.

According to Kirby, Biden has indicated that US policy towards Israel could change due to the attack on Rafah. Sullivan also stated that Biden clearly conveyed the potential for policy change.

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As reported by Axios, the US has postponed the delivery of ammunition to Israel. Since the Gaza war broke out in October 2023, this is the first time the US has delayed the shipment of ammunition to Israel. Israeli officials are reported to have asked for an explanation for the delay in delivery.

In February 2024, Washington requested that Israel ensure that weapons from the US are used in accordance with international law. Israel provided written guarantees in March 2024. (AP/REUTERS)