Ahead of possible offensive, Netanyahu orders plan for Rafah evacuation

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuon Friday (February 9) said that he had ordered his forces to draw up a plan to evacuate people in Rafah - a southern town in the Gaza Strip - ahead of Israel's ground invasion.Israel has been carrying out airstrikes on the now overpopulated town and did so on Friday as well

Theattack on Rafah came just hours after Biden administration warned Israel against expansion of its Gaza offensive to the southern city. More than half of Gaza Strip's 2.3 million population has moved intoRafah.People have sought refuge in Rafah, escaping the war that so far rages in northern regions of the city.

US President Joe Biden on Thursday said that Israel's response and conduct in the war after Hamas' deadly October 7 attacks was 'over the top'. This is the harshest criticism yet by Israel's biggest international backer.

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Watch | Israel-Hamas War: Israeli PM Netanyahu orders military to submit dual plan for Rafah

Meanwhile, the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza has said that Palestinian death toll in the war is approaching the 28,000 mark. It says that about two-thirds of the tally includes women and children.

Reacting toIsrael's offensive in Gaza,Vedant Patel, a US State Department spokespersonon Thursday said, “We have yet to see any evidence of serious planning for such an operation."

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“With no planning and little thought in an area where there is sheltering of a million people would be a disaster,"Patel further said.

National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby has said that a ground operation in Rafah is “not something we would support.”

Netanyahu has spoken of “total victory” in the war in spite of Israel's increasing friction with the US.

(With inputs from agencies)