The Israeli military on Monday ordered residents in and around Rafah, a southern Gaza city, to evacuate their homes, signaling a possible return to ground fighting in the area.
In a post on X, Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee addressed residents of Rafah and parts of nearby Khan Yunis, urging them to move to shelters in Al Mawasi for their safety.
"The IDF (military) is returning to fight with great force to eliminate the capabilities of terrorist organisations in these areas," Adraee stated.
Footages from the city showed long lines of people fleeing, some traveling by foot, bike, or donkey-pulled carts, while others piled belongings on trucks.
Rafah resident Ali Mansour shared his experience, saying, "A map was published today, entirely in red, indicating that all of Rafah must evacuate," adding that he was on foot without transportation and had to leave all his belongings behind.
Najah Dhahir, also from Rafah, fled on foot with her nine-month-old baby, stating, "We took our children and only what was necessary, leaving behind all our belongings – our mattresses, our food and our money."
Earlier, on March 23, Israel’s military had encircled the Tal al-Sultan area in Rafah, warning civilians to leave in order to dismantle terrorist infrastructure and eliminate militants there.
Rafah, along Gaza's southern border with Egypt, had been a target of a major Israeli offensive a year ago.
Following the resumption of intense bombing on March 18 and a new ground offensive, Israel's military campaign has led to at least 50,357 deaths in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to Hamas-run Gaza's health ministry.
The war, which began after Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, has claimed over 1,218 Israeli lives.
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