Israel’s military has told people in eastern Rafah to "evacuate immediately," a day after the country's defense minister told troops in Gaza to expect "intense action" in the city "in the near future." The current evacuation impacts about 100,000 people, the military said.
Israel’s bombardment of Gaza since October 7 has devastated the besieged enclave, reducing neighborhoods to rubble and many of those seeking shelter in Rafah have been displaced multiple times. A CNN stringer in east Rafah said the order has sparked alarm in a city already overwhelmed with refugees.
The evacuation call comes a day after Israel closed the Kerem Shalom border crossing to humanitarian trucks following a deadly rocket attack claimed by Hamas.
There is little sign of a breakthrough in ceasefire and hostage negotiations between Israel and Hamas, as the two sides traded blame in remarks over the weekend.