Netanyahu approves Rafah assault, a refuge for hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians

(Patria) - The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Friday that it has approved a military plan for an operation in Rafah, where most of Gaza's war-stricken population has sought refuge.

Netanyahu has "approved plans for action in Rafah," his office said in a statement, without providing details or a timeline, AFP reported. The statement added that the army "is prepared for the operational aspect and for the evacuation of the population".

Rafah is the last major population center not yet subjected to a ground assault in Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza, which was launched by an attack on southern Israel on October 7. The attack resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people, mostly civilians. Hamas took about 250 Israeli and foreign hostages, and Israel believes about 130 of them remain in Gaza, including 32 who are presumed dead. At least 31,490 people have been killed in the Israeli campaign, mostly women and children.

US President Joe Biden, who has supported Israel throughout the war, said an Israeli invasion of Rafah would be a "red line" if there were no credible plans to protect civilians.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a visit to Vienna on Friday that Washington had not seen any plans for an operation in Rafah, but reiterated that it wants a "clear and implementable plan" to ensure civilians are "kept out of harm's way".

The office of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas "expressed deep concern over the imminent Israeli military offensive on Rafah, which could result in a new massacre and further displacement of the Palestinian people in Gaza," the Wafa news agency reported.

"The Presidency stressed the urgency of immediate intervention by the US administration and the international community to prevent this military attack, which could increase the already immense suffering of the Palestinian people," it added.

The German Foreign Ministry stated that "a large-scale offensive on Rafah cannot be justified".

"More than a million people have sought refuge there and have nowhere else to go," they wrote on X.

"We need a humanitarian ceasefire now, to end the dying and finally release the hostages."