Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced Friday that it had approved plans for a military operation in Rafah, where most of the war-torn Gaza population has been evacuated.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Reuters) {{^userSubscribed}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{/userSubscribed}}
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “has approved the action plan in Rafah,” his office said in a statement, without providing further details or a timeline.
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The statement said the military was “making operational and population evacuation preparations.”
Rafah is the last major population center yet to come under ground attack during Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, which began with the insurgents' unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7.
The attack killed about 1,160 people, most of them civilians, according to an Israeli AFP tally.
Hamas took about 250 Israelis and foreigners hostage on October 7, and Israel believes about 130 of them remain in Gaza, 32 of whom are estimated dead.
Israeli retaliatory operations against Hamas have left at least 31,490 people dead, most of them women and children, according to the health ministry in Hamas-controlled areas.
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US President Joe Biden, who has supported Israel during the war, said an Israeli invasion of Rafah would be a “red line that should not be crossed” unless a credible civilian protection plan is in place.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in Vienna during a Friday visit that the US government had not seen plans for Operation Rafah, but wanted a “clear and actionable plan” to move civilians “out of harm's way.” I repeated.
The office of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas expressed “deep concern at Israel's imminent military attack in Rafah, which could lead to new massacres and further displacement of Palestinians in Gaza.” This was reported by the state-run Wafa news agency.
“The presidential inauguration has underscored the urgency for swift intervention by both the U.S. government and the international community to avert this military attack that could add to the already untold suffering of the Palestinian people,” Wafa said. he said.
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“A large-scale attack in Rafah cannot be justified,” Germany's Foreign Ministry said.
“More than a million people are seeking refuge but have nowhere to go,” the newspaper said in X, adding, “Now is the time for a humanitarian ceasefire to end the dying and finally free the hostages.” “I need it,” he said.
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