Report: Up to 200,000 Palestinians have fled Rafah fearing offensive

DPA
·1 min read
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Palestinians bid farewell to their killed relatives at Al-Najjar Hospital, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa
Palestinians bid farewell to their killed relatives at Al-Najjar Hospital, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa

An Israeli media report says tens of thousands of people have left Rafah, ahead of a looming Israeli offensive.

Some 150,000 to 200,000 Palestinian civilians have left Rafah since April 7, the Jerusalem Post reported on Thursday, citing the army.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) refused to comment on the report when asked.

Since the war in Gaza broke out, at times there have been some 1.5 million of the Gaza Strip's population of more than 2.2 million seeking shelter in Rafah from the ongoing Israeli attacks.

Aid groups say more than 1 million people have sought refuge there during the war.

On April 7, the Israeli army reportedly withdrew its troops from Khan Younis, also in the south of the Gaza Strip. Since then, the Jerusalem Post says civilians have been leaving Rafah and heading towards Khan Younis.

The IDF reportedly hopes more civilians will follow and go to the new tent cities set up in the south and centre of the Gaza Strip.

Israeli radio reports say Israel's planned military operation in Rafah would be preceded by the evacuation of civilians over a period of several weeks.