Israel says it plans to direct Palestinians out of Rafah ahead of anticipated offensive

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Israel says it plans to direct Palestinians out of Rafah ahead of anticipated offensive

BY TIA GOLDENBERG
Updated 4:03 PM EDT, March 13, 2024

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The Israeli military said Wednesday it plans to direct a significant portion of the 1.4 million displaced Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip’s southernmost town of Rafah toward “humanitarian islands” in the center of the territory ahead of its planned offensive in the area.

The fate of the people in Rafah has been a major area of concern of Israel’s allies — including the United States — and humanitarian groups, worried an offensive in the region densely crowded with so many displaced people would be a catastrophe. Rafah is also Gaza’s main entry point for desperately needed aid.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said a Rafah offensive is crucial to achieve Israel’s stated aim of destroying Hamas following the militants’ Oct. 7 attack in which about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and around 250 taken hostage and brought into Gaza. Israel’s invasion of Gaza has killed more than 31,000, according to Gaza health officials, left much of the enclave in ruins and displaced some 80% of Gaza’s 2.3 million people.

Israel’s chief military spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said moving those in Rafah to the designated areas, which he said would be done in coordination with international actors, was a key part of the military’s preparations for its anticipated invasion of Rafah, where Israel says Hamas maintains four battalions it wants to destroy.

-snip-

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-03-13-2024-1ecd20b754890b623f523be41591aadf

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Alternate AP headline via TOI: IDF says civilians in Rafah to be directed to ‘humanitarian islands,’ ahead of ground op

[msongs]

1. disgusting. humanitarian islands. disgusting. nt

[madaboutharry]

2. This is what is disgusting:

Hamas using civilians as human shields, Hamas refusing to release kidnapped hostages, and Hamas refusing to surrender and continuing to cause suffering and misery to their own people.

Trying to get civilians out of a combat zone is not disgusting. It is a humanitarian effort to try and minimize as much as possible civilian casualties.

Hamas started this war by attacking Israel on Oct 7th and murdering, raping, burning people alive, and kidnapping civilians and keeping them as hostages.

It is clear that your solution is for Israel to allow Hamas to murder, rape, and kidnap its citizens and not be allowed to fight back.

Everyone loves dead Jews. Jews who defend themselves and fight back, not so much.

[msongs]

4. nice try. israels response is far above and beyond hamas' initial attrocities. if you dont move we will murder

you is not what I call a humanitarian effort. both israelis and hamas are responsible for their own behaviors. nobody is making them do anything they don't want to do.

[Eko]

3. I guess I am missing something.

Israel has to destroy Hamas, that is what it says it needs to do and that is why thousands of civilians are being killed, cause its a war and civilians die in war.
Israel has to do the form of war where lots of civilians are being killed, wounded and about to face starvation because Hamas is hiding in the civilian base. They have no choice if Hamas continues to hide in the civilian populace.
Israel told the civilians to move south. If you are having to kill civilians because Hamas is hiding in them then you have to accept they will move south with the civilians.
Hamas moved south with the civilians.
Now Israel will move the civilians again to attack Hamas in the south.
Does anyone see the problem?