Israel orders Gazans to evacuate of parts of Rafah city

The Israel Defense Forces warned 100,000 Palestinians on Monday to evacuate parts of Rafah city, where the Israeli military has planned to invade. Its troops expanded field hospitals and increased aid to a humanitarian area on the coast for civilians moving out of eastern Rafah, the IDF said in a post. With or without a cease-fire deal, Israel will enter the city and eliminate the Hamas battalions there, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement last week. There’s been little international support for the planned invasion since hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have fled to Rafah to escape direct fighting. However, Netanyahu on Sunday renewed vows to fight against what he called genocidal enemies.

What does the United States have to say about the invasion? U.S. officials have not directly opposed a Rafah invasion but have severely cautioned Israel in executing the attack on Hamas. America could not support an operation in Rafah without a credible plan and safeguards for civilians, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday during a panel discussion. U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin reiterated that position on Sunday during a call with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant, according to Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder.

Dig deeper: Read Josh Schumacher’s report on European Union officials pushing for an independent Palestinian state.