New tent areas were established in Gaza as Israel prepared for the Rafah attack

While it is reported that the Israeli army is preparing for an attack on the city of Rafah in the south of Gaza, satellite images show that two new tent areas have been established in the region.

Rafah, on the Egyptian border, is the only city in Gaza that the Israeli army has not yet entered.

More than a million people who were forced to leave other parts of Gaza have been sheltering in Rafah for months.

The US has said that before any operation, a plan must be put in place to protect people in Rafah.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists that the Rafah offensive was necessary to achieve a complete victory against Hamas and search for the hostages.

Since October 7, the Israeli army has taken control of all of northern Gaza, including Gaza City, and parts of the center and south, including Khan Younis.

Although the army subsequently withdrew from almost all of Gaza, the bombardment continued throughout Gaza, including Rafah.

About 20 people, mostly children, were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Gaza on Saturday.

At the same time, soldiers continue to be deployed on a road built by Israel that separates the north and south of Gaza.

Satellite images show rows of tents set up in an area west of Khan Younis and near Rafah.

Looking at previously taken satellite images, it appears that the tent areas were set up this month.

Earlier this month, Israeli media reported that Israel had purchased 40,000 tents in preparation for the evacuation of Palestinian civilians from Rafah.

According to Reuters news agency on Wednesday, citing Israeli government sources, each tent can accommodate 10-12 people.

Israel HaYom newspaper wrote that the Israeli government decided to organize an operation in Rafah “very soon” after the talks between Israel and Hamas aimed at a ceasefire and the release of hostages were blocked.

Other newspapers in Israel carried similar news.

According to US media reports based on Israeli and Egyptian officials, civilians in Rafah will be evacuated within a few weeks to Khan Younis, as well as various other areas such as Al-Mawasi, which is located between Rafah and Khan Younis and which Israel designated as a “humanitarian zone” at the beginning of the war. .

According to Egyptian officials, Israeli troops will enter Rafah gradually and the clashes will last for about 6 weeks.

According to Reuters, Netanyahu’s office and the Israeli military did not comment on the news of the Rafah attack.

The BBC also sought an explanation from Israeli officials, but army officials stated that they had activated two reserve brigades for their duties in Gaza.

Israeli officials claim that there are 4 Hamas units in Rafah and that they are reinforced with fighters from other parts of Gaza.

Speaking to Israeli state television on Tuesday, Brigadier General Itzik Cohen said, “Hamas was hit hard in the north of Gaza. It was also hit hard in the center. It will soon be hit hard in Rafah as well.”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last week that the US “cannot support a major military operation in Rafah.”

Blinken stated that they have not yet seen a plan prepared to prevent civilians from being harmed and that any military operation would have “terrible consequences” for the civilians remaining in Rafah.

Conditions in Rafah are already poor. People speaking to the BBC point out the lack of food, water and medicine.

Some Palestinians displaced from Rafah earlier this month tried to return to northern Gaza but were pushed back by the Israeli army.

Eyewitnesses said that soldiers opened fire on the crowd moving along the coastal road and five people died.

The Israeli army did not comment directly on the incident, but stated that Palestinians should stay in the south of Gaza and that the north was a “dangerous war zone”.

Israel did not say when Palestinians who had to leave northern Gaza would be allowed to return. This was one of Hamas’ demands in the ceasefire talks.

Clashes also resumed in some areas in northern Gaza, and the Israeli army bombed the towns of Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya, as well as the Jibaliya refugee camp and the Zeitoun area near Gaza City.