Terrified families flee Rafah as Israel set to open all-out assault

Over one hundred thousand residents of Rafah, a city located in southern Gaza, left the area on Saturday in response to Israeli announcements that they should evacuate due to an upcoming military operation. This operation is anticipated to commence shortly and will mark a violent and deadly turning point in the ongoing seven-month conflict.

Numerous individuals, including both the elderly and the youth, as well as those who were in good health and those who were ill, could be seen traveling down the roads departing from Rafah. They were stuffed inside trucks and vehicles that were in poor condition, as well as pony carts and trolleys that were operated by hand. A considerable number of these individuals trekked the distance by foot, in the punishing heat of the summer sun, transporting their personal belongings with them. Some people were even forced to use wheelchairs or be carried by others.

Every day, a growing number of individuals have left Rafah after the Israel Defense Forces instructed the removal of eastern areas. They did this just before taking control of the border crossingway with Egypt on the city's east side. This was done as a precision-focused and limited operation by the IDF, aiming to prevent Hamas from moving weapons or funds into Gaza.

UN officials in the city have counted that the number has exceeded 280,000 individuals. Almost half of the people left within the last day.

The recent attack appears to have been just the beginning of a bigger attack that Israel has been warning of for a while. Despite strong pleas for calm from the UN, aid organizations, and allies, Israel went ahead with its plan.

The Israeli leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, has refused to comply with the United States' demand to delay a full-scale assault on Rafah. He argued that Hamas has stationed most of its senior commanders and remaining troops in that area. Consequently, the Biden administration has stopped providing Israel with 3,500 bombs. Netanyahu declared last week that his country would battle fiercely, even if it meant defending itself with mere fingernails.

On Saturday morning, the IDF advised people living in the central area of Rafah to leave immediately. They spread the message through flyers and online platforms. Experts interpreted this as an indication that the Israeli army might move into the heart of Rafah by Sunday and could keep going until they covered the whole city.

According to a declaration, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) are still executing actions against the terrorist group Hamas in Gaza. Hamas uses the populace of Gaza as human protection for its violent acts and infrastructure.

For several months, around one million individuals who were forced to move from other areas in Gaza have taken refuge in Rafah. UN officials in the city have stated that it is now starting to become less populated. On Sunday, a significant number of individuals are anticipated to depart, resulting in one of the biggest displacements seen in a long time. ENDNEW.

Dina Zayed, who is 54 years old, expressed that she and others in Rafah are currently experiencing overwhelming stress and worry. She arrived in Rafah six months ago after leaving north Gaza when the war started. The uncertainty of their situation has caused a lot of fear and unease, with many feeling like they are walking blindly into an unknown future. Unfortunately, it seems like difficult times are ahead for everyone in the area.

There are serious worries about the safety of the people who are escaping to the "enlarged humanitarian area" located by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) at al-Mawasi on the coastline. Workers providing aid said that the current circumstances were already terrible.

Muhammad Qahman, a man aged 54, expressed his worries about the circumstances at al-Mawasi. This location is a stretch of land comprising of sandy coasts and dunes. It houses hundreds of thousands of individuals who have been displaced and do not have sufficient access to food, clean water, and healthcare facilities. Their sanitary conditions are exceptionally poor, and this factor contributes to the fast spreading of diseases.

"We're unsure of our course of action. Currently, we're getting ready to head towards the location marked as safe and meant to be a humanitarian zone by the Israeli military. However, this assertion is incorrect and deceitful," expressed Qahman, who's been residing in Rafah since January.

The shutdown of the Rafah border point towards Egypt and hindrances encountered in accessing the Kerem Shalom border terminal with Israel due to the ongoing hostilities have led to a restricted amount of humanitarian relief supplies reaching the southern and central regions of Gaza.

Charitable organizations have reported a shortage of fuel reserves, while Israel has declared that they transported 200,000 liters of fuel to Gaza on Friday via Kerem Shalom. This quantity of fuel is apparently needed daily by the United Nations to ensure that emergency vehicles carrying relief goods can function properly and hospital generators remain operational. Unfortunately, there hasn't been any confirmation if the UN personnel were able to retrieve the fuel.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have announced that they plan to launch fresh attacks in the northern region of Gaza. They have also advised the residents of the area to evacuate to safer locations. There have been recent clashes reported in various parts of the west and north areas surrounding Gaza City. These areas had previously been vacated by Israeli forces but are now being reclaimed by Hamas.

Up until now, over 34,970 Palestinians - with a majority being women and children - have lost their lives due to the Israeli military's actions. There was a trigger for this offensive: Hamas conducted a surprise attack on southern Israel in October, which resulted in the death of about 1,200 people, most of whom were everyday citizens. Additionally, they took 250 individuals hostage.

It is estimated that around 132 Israeli hostages are still in Gaza, but it's possible that around half of them have already lost their lives.

On Saturday, Hamas declared that Nadav Popplewell, a 51-year-old British-Israeli hostage, had passed away due to injuries he suffered in an Israeli airstrike over a month ago. However, there is no verification of this statement.

Hopes for a temporary truce were raised last week, however, they were quickly extinguished as Israel dismissed a proposed settlement suggested by negotiators.

According to Israeli officials who spoke to the news site Ynet, discussions about hostages and ceasefire with Hamas have not come to a complete end. They mentioned that if Hamas provides answers that are acceptable, negotiations will continue indirectly.

On Friday, Hamas announced that attempts to achieve a ceasefire had reverted to the starting point, as Israel had turned down a proposal from global intermediaries. In the meantime, the White House has affirmed its dedication to attempting to keep the involved parties engaged, even if it's only in a virtual capacity.

Protests were anticipated throughout Israel this Saturday with citizens urging the government to come to terms for the liberation of the captives.

The Biden administration made a strong statement on Friday, stating that Israel had violated international law that protects civilians during its war against Hamas. The US believes that there is evidence to back up this claim.

After the United States released their report, Ophir Falk, who is an adviser on foreign policy for Netanyahu, stated that Israel followed the laws of warfare and the military is taking serious steps to prevent harm to innocent people. These measures include informing citizens through phone calls and text messages of any military actions.