Jerusalem, Israel

An Israeli official has confirmed the purchase of 40,000 tents, hinting at preparations for the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from Rafah, Gaza's southernmost city. The move comes amid escalating tensions in the region.

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Rafah holds strategic value as it is believed to house four battalions of Hamas, the terrorist group governing Gaza and responsible for the unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel last year. Israel says that achieving its war objectives hinges on an offensive in Rafah. Additionally, there are concerns that Hamas leaders, potentially holding Israeli hostages, may be hiding within the city.

The population of Rafah has swelled to over one million, constituting half of Gaza's total population, due to civilians fleeing the conflict between Israel and Hamas. The influx has raised international alarms, with the United States and others cautioning against actions that could jeopardise Palestinian civilians.

Also watch | Israel War: Gaza truce talks still deadlocked despite reports of progress, Hamas says

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Evacuation plans and tent procurement

Israel claims to have devised a plan to evacuate civilians before launching any offensive. To support this effort, the Defence Ministry recently issued a tender seeking tent suppliers. These tents are intended to facilitate the evacuation process and form part of the preparations for action in Rafah.

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The United States, Israel's ally, has warned against a ground operation in Rafah, stressing on the need for a credible plan to safeguard civilians. Prime Minister Netanyahu's statement came as Israeli negotiators were in Cairo discussing international efforts to broker a cease-fire with the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Also read | 'Frustrated' Biden administration says Israel's withdrawal from south Gaza not indicative of new operations

Gaza's Health Ministry reported over 33,200 Palestinian deaths and nearly 76,000 wounded in the war. Women and children constitute two-thirds of the casualties, according to the ministry, which doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants.

The war started on October 7 when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the capture of around 250 hostages.

(With inputs from agencies)

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report  conflicts in West Asia involving  Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq and non-state actors like Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline . WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.