Israel calls on more people to evacuate Gaza's Rafah
STORY: Smoke rises over Rafah on Saturday as Israel calls for Palestinians to evacuate and head to what it calls an expanded humanitarian area in Al-Mawasi.
It's a further indication that the military is pressing ahead with its plans for a ground attack on Gaza’s southern city.
That's despite heavy U.S. pressure and alarm expressed by residents and humanitarian groups.
In a post on social media site X, a military spokesperson called on residents and displaced people in 12 neighborhoods in the enclave to go immediately to the shelters west of Gaza City.
Gaza resident Nidal says despite the warning he is unable to evacuate.
He told Reuters he doesn't have a tent as they were all distributed yesterday - nor does he have cash to get a vehicle to move his belongings.
These evacuations follow overnight Israeli jet strikes across the enclave.
Israel's military said it was continuing precise operational activity against Hamas fighters in eastern Rafah and on the Gazan side of the Rafah crossing.
On Friday (May 10), Israeli tanks captured the main road dividing Rafah's eastern and western sections, effectively encircling the eastern side in an assault that has caused Washington to hold up delivery of some military aid to its ally.
:: May 9, 2024
The latest evacuation orders came hours after internationally mediated ceasefire talks appeared to falter, with Hamas saying Israel's rejection of the truce offer returned things to square one.
Israel says it wants to reach a deal under which hostages would be released in exchange for the freeing of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, but that it is not prepared to end the military offensive which was triggered by a Hamas-led attack on Southern Israel on Oct. 7.
1,200 people were killed and more than 250 people taken hostage in the attack, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel's military operation in Gaza, which it says aims to eliminate Hamas, has killed close to 35,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry.
