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The Israeli military has urged tens of thousands of Palestinians to leave the southern Gaza town of Rafah as Israel’s defense minister warned of an impending military “operation.”
At least 100,000 civilians in Rafah should move to what Israel calls the Mediterranean humanitarian zone, an Israel Defense Forces spokesman told reporters, in an operation of “limited scope” as part of a “phased plan.”
Yoav Gallant, Israel’s defense minister, told troops in Gaza on Sunday that there were “worrying signs” that negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage swap with the militant group Hamas are failing. “This means that an operation will take place in Rafah and the entire Gaza Strip in the near future,” he said. “We are momentarily short of action.”
The evacuation order came amid conflicting reports about the progress of negotiations that could see Hamas release up to 33 Israeli hostages in return for a temporary pause in hostilities that would delay any Israeli operation in Rafah.
A Hamas spokesman told Al-Aqsa television that the militant group continued to insist on a “permanent ceasefire” before agreeing to the release of hostages, a stumbling block that had derailed previous negotiations.
CIA Director Bill Burns is expected to visit Israel after speaking with mediators in Egypt in recent days about the details of the proposal, which is being brokered by the United States, Egypt and Qatar.
The proposal, currently under consideration by Hamas, leaves open the possibility of continuing negotiations during an initial limited ceasefire. This could result in more of the estimated 132 hostages – including kidnapped soldiers – being released in exchange for “sustainable calm.”
The evacuation order came after three Israeli soldiers were killed in a mortar attack on Sunday on the Israeli side of the area to be evacuated near the Kerem Shalom border crossing, which is crucial for humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza.
The IDF spokesman declined to say whether the order was triggered by the attack. The attack “was a reminder of Hamas’ presence,” he said.
Israel’s Western allies have repeatedly warned it against entering Rafah without a detailed plan to protect the more than a million Palestinian civilians who have taken shelter on the southern edge of the besieged enclave.
Gallant spoke late Sunday evening with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who reiterated Washington’s concerns that any Israeli military operation in Rafah must include a “credible” plan to protect civilians.
The IDF spokesman declined to comment on whether Israel’s current plans had been submitted to or approved by the United States.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right coalition allies have threatened to collapse his government if he accepts an end to the war in Gaza without disbanding the remaining Hamas battalions that Israel says are currently in Rafah.