Netanyahu Tasks IDF to Present Plan on Evacuation of Civilians From Rafah
15:36 GMT 09.02.2024 (Updated: 15:53 GMT 09.02.2024)
© Sputnik / Ahmed Zaqout
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TEL AVIV (Sputnik) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday requested the military to present a plan on the evacuation of civilians form the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip, where four Hamas battalions remain, his office said.
"The large-scale operation in Rafah requires the evacuation of civilians from the combat zone. That is why the prime minister instructed the Israel Defense Forces and the defense structures to submit a dual plan for the evacuation of the population and the elimination of the battalions to the cabinet of ministers," Netanyahu's office said in a statement.
It is impossible for Israel to achieve its military goals in the Gaza Strip without eliminating the remaining Hamas battalions, the office added.
On October 7, 2023, Palestinian movement Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel from Gaza and breached the border,killing 1,200 peopleandabducting around 240 others. Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza, andstarted a ground incursioninto the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages.Over 27,000 people have been killedso farin the Gaza Strip, local authorities said.
On November 24, Qatar mediated a deal between Israel and Hamas on a temporary truce and the exchange of some of the prisoners and hostages, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire was extended several times and expired on December 1. More than 100 hostages are still believed to be held by Hamas in Gaza.
