Israel tells civilians to leave Rafah as it weighs attack

Israel’s military has told civilians to move out of parts of Rafah, a possible prelude to a long-expected attack on the Gazan city.

The Israel Defense Forces “will act with extreme force against terrorist organizations in your areas of residence,” a spokesman said on X on Monday morning. He urged residents of eastern Rafah to go north to an “expanded humanitarian area” near Khan Younis, another city in Gaza.

The move comes after cease-fire talks between Hamas and Israel in Cairo over the weekend stalled, the main sticking point being the Iran-backed militant group’s insistence that any truce is permanent. Hamas also killed three Israeli soldiers with a rocket barrage on Sunday on the border crossing of Kerem Shalom, one of its worst missile attacks in weeks.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has for months said civilians in Rafah would be moved out before any attack. There are around 1.4 million in the city, most of whom fled there after the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October.

It’s unclear how long it would take for the bulk of the civilians to leave. Israeli officials privately admit it could take weeks, while the U.S. has expressed doubts that it can be done safely.

Most Arab and many European states have said Israel should not attack Rafah, fearing it would cause a mass of casualties.

The Israeli shekel weakened 1% to 3.74 per dollar as of 12:20 p.m. in Tel Aviv, heading more its biggest drop in almost three weeks.

Many civilians may choose to remain in Rafah if they’re unsure of the conditions where they’re being told to go. Much of the Gaza Strip, including Khan Younis, which is several miles from Rafah, has been destroyed by Israeli airstrikes since the war began on Oct. 7. Hamas, considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and European Union, may also prevent some of them from leaving.

The IDF said it was co-ordinating on the expansion of field hospitals in the “humanitarian area” and would ensure there are tents, food, water and medication available.

Israel says Rafah is the last bastion of Hamas, with about 5,000 to 8,000 of its fighters and senior leaders lodged in the city, as well as many Israeli hostages.

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