DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip. Israel’s military has issued sweeping evacuation orders for the southern Gaza city of Rafah, signaling the potential for another major ground operation in the region. The evacuation, which was announced on Monday, covers Rafah and its surrounding areas.
These orders come amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, with Israel having resumed air and ground strikes after ending its ceasefire earlier this month. The military’s new directive asks Palestinians to head to Muwasi, an area marked by squalid tent camps along the coast. The timing of this order, during Eid al-Fitr, the Muslim holiday marking the end of Ramadan, has further exacerbated the already tense situation in Gaza.
Earlier in March, Israel had cut off food, fuel, medicine, and humanitarian supplies to the Gaza Strip, home to approximately 2 million Palestinians, as part of its efforts to pressure Hamas into agreeing to modifications in the ceasefire agreement.
This development follows Israel’s previous operations in Rafah last May, where significant damage was inflicted on the city, particularly along the border with Egypt. Israel had seized a key corridor along this border and the Rafah crossing, Gaza’s only border gateway not controlled by Israel. Despite agreeing to withdraw from the corridor under the ceasefire signed with Hamas in January, Israel later reneged on this agreement, citing security concerns over preventing weapons smuggling.
On Monday, as the evacuation orders were issued, people in Rafah could be seen fleeing the area. Many carried their belongings on donkeys or stacked them on the roofs of cars. Families traveled on foot, with luggage in hand and children close by.
The escalation in southern Gaza reflects the ongoing volatility and uncertainty in the region, as military operations and humanitarian challenges continue to affect the lives of civilians.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
