Israel Prepares for Assault on Rafah, Aiming to Ease Concerns of Potential ‘Bloodbath’

By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Emily Rose

DOHA/JERUSALEM – Israeli forces have prepared for a ground offensive against Hamas in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza where hundreds of thousands of displaced individuals from northern areas are facing dire conditions.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has instructed the military to devise a plan for civilian evacuations. However, humanitarian organizations have expressed concerns that a military operation in such a densely populated area could result in significant civilian casualties.

Philippe Lazzarini, head of the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA, remarked on the rising anxiety and panic among the residents of Rafah, who are uncertain about where to seek safety.

U.S. President Joe Biden stated that Israel’s reaction to the October 7 attacks by Hamas militants was "over the top," emphasizing that Washington would not endorse any military action in Rafah that lacks proper civilian safeguards.

Over a million individuals displaced by four months of Israeli airstrikes are currently sheltered in Rafah and nearby regions along the border with Egypt, which has strengthened its border in anticipation of a potential mass exodus.

Netanyahu’s office claimed that four Hamas battalions are operating in Rafah and that the goal of neutralizing the militant group cannot be accomplished without addressing their presence in the area. It called for the evacuation of civilians from the combat zone.

In a statement, Netanyahu ordered the Israeli Defense Forces and security apparatus to present a coordinated plan for civilian evacuations and the dismantling of Hamas battalions.

This announcement came shortly after Netanyahu dismissed a ceasefire proposal from Hamas that included provisions for the release of hostages captured during the October 7 assault.

Tal Heinrich, a spokesperson for Netanyahu, warned that if Israel’s military actions were constrained by international pressures arising from Hamas’s conduct, it could lead to increased terrorism worldwide.

The United Nations has stressed that Palestinians in Rafah require protection and highlighted that forced mass displacements contradict international law.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric expressed extreme concern for the civilians caught in Rafah.

The Palestinian Presidency accused Netanyahu’s military escalation plans of intending to forcibly displace the Palestinian population from their territory, stating that such actions threaten regional and global security and violate established boundaries.

An unnamed Israeli official indicated that measures would be taken to facilitate the movement of people currently in Rafah—who had largely moved there from northern Gaza—back northward prior to any military operation.

Israeli military actions have shifted southward toward Rafah after initially targeting northern Gaza in response to the Hamas attack on October 7, which resulted in substantial casualties.

Medical personnel and aid workers in Rafah are struggling to provide basic assistance to those seeking shelter, many of whom are now living in makeshift conditions against the border fence with Egypt.

Jan Egeland, Secretary-General of the Norwegian Refugee Council, warned against the potential for a "bloodbath" should conflict extend into such a heavily populated refuge.

Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly noted that an Israeli assault on Rafah could endanger not only the lives of Palestinians but also foreign nationals, including Canadians, while disrupting vital aid.

According to Gaza’s health ministry, the conflict has resulted in the deaths of at least 27,947 Palestinians, with nearly 67,500 injuries reported. Many more could be trapped beneath the rubble of buildings destroyed in the strikes since the attack by Hamas, which resulted in over 1,200 Israeli deaths and the capture of 253 hostages.

Nearly 10% of Gaza’s children under five are now experiencing acute malnutrition, with reports indicating that individuals are resorting to eating grass.

ActionAid declared that the entire population in Gaza is currently facing hunger, with access to only 1.5 to 2 liters of unsafe water per day.

Just hours before Netanyahu’s announcement, Israeli airstrikes reportedly killed at least 15 individuals, including eight in Rafah.

A resident named Mohammed al-Nahal recounted a tragic incident where a strike destroyed his home, resulting in the loss of multiple family members.

Netanyahu asserted that Hamas’s conditions, which were offered in reaction to a proposal involving negotiations with U.S. and Israeli intelligence through mediators from Qatar and Egypt, were unrealistic, and he pledged to continue military operations.

A Hamas representative revealed that a delegation from the group had concluded discussions with mediators in Cairo and is awaiting Israel’s official response to their proposal.