Israel Orders Partial Evacuation of Rafah, Fueling Fears of New Offensive

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  May 6, 2024, 4:58 p.m. ET

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Israeli warplanes pounded targets successful the confederate Gaza metropolis of Rafah connected Monday arsenic the subject told astir 110,000 radical sheltering determination to evacuate. Many radical began to leave, fearing that Israel was moving up with its long-planned penetration of Rafah, contempt stiff planetary pressure.

The Israeli subject began dropping leaflets successful eastbound Rafah telling radical to determination to what it called a humanitarian zone to the north, and said it would besides notify radical by substance messages, telephone calls and broadcasts successful Arabic, and connected Monday night, the Israeli subject carried retired different circular of what it called “targeted strikes” successful Rafah against Hamas.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bureau said successful a connection precocious connected Monday that the warfare furniture had decided unanimously to “continue with its enactment successful Rafah successful bid to exert subject unit connected Hamas,” though it was not wide if that meant the latest airstrikes oregon thing broader. A subject spokesperson would not accidental erstwhile troops mightiness participate the crowded city, but described the evacuation arsenic portion of Israel’s plans to dismantle Hamas and to escaped hostages taken connected Oct. 7.

Hours aft the evacuation order, the governmental person of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, issued a connection that the radical had accepted a caller cease-fire connection from Qatar and Egypt, which person acted arsenic intermediaries successful bid talks. The radical and Israeli officials said it was not referring to the connection that Israel precocious agreed to, leaving the struggle unresolved.

John F. Kirby, a White House nationalist information spokesman, declined to remark connected the Hamas response, saying the United States was reviewing it. Israeli officials said they, too, would reappraisal the proposal, but the premier minister’s bureau said it did not conscionable Israel’s demands.