Israel bombards Rafah ahead of talks aimed at sealing truce

Hamas said Israel was planning a large-scale offensive “without regard for the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe” in the besieged Gaza Strip or for the fate of hostages held there.

Israel said its “limited” and temporary Rafah evacuation order aimed “to get people out of harm’s way”.

The Palestinian Red Crescent reported “thousands” of Gazans leaving the city’s east.

‘Where can we go?‘

Israel’s military in a statement urged those in eastern Rafah to head for the “expanded humanitarian area” at Al-Mawasi on the coast.

But aid groups said Al-Mawasi was not ready for such an influx.

Asked how many people should move, an Israeli military spokesman said: “The estimate is around 100,000 people.”

The Red Crescent said the designated evacuation zone hosts around 250,000 people, many of them already uprooted from elsewhere.

Palestinian Abdul Rahman Abu Jazar, 36, said the area “does not have enough room for us to make tents” because it is already full.

“Where can we go?“ he asked.

The UN children’s agency warned that around 600,000 children packed into Rafah face “further catastrophe”.

The main aid group in Gaza, UNRWA, said an Israeli Rafah offensive would mean “more civilian suffering and deaths”, adding it was “not evacuating”.