Netanyahu Calls for Plan to Evacuate Palestinian Civilians from Rafah and Completely Defeat Hamas

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the army on Friday, February 9, to devise a plan for the evacuation of Palestinian civilians from the city of Rafah in southern Gaza and to eradicate the remnants of Hamas militants in the city. His office announced this directive amid increasing pressure due to Israel's threat of a ground assault on Rafah. According to Reuters, more than half of Gaza's 2.3 million population has taken refuge in Rafah after fleeing from other areas, with many living in temporary tents. U.S. President Joe Biden described Israel's response to the October 6 attacks by Iran-backed Hamas militants as 'excessive' on Thursday. The Biden administration stated it would not support military operations in Rafah without regard for the dire situation of civilians. Netanyahu's office noted that four Hamas brigades are in Rafah, and Israel cannot achieve its goal of eradicating this Islamist group while they are present. In a statement, civilians in Rafah were warned to evacuate the war zone. In this context, the Israeli Prime Minister instructed defense forces and security agencies to present a combined plan for the evacuation of the population and the destruction of Hamas brigades to the cabinet. This statement came two days after Netanyahu rejected Hamas's proposal for a ceasefire, with no further details provided about the plan. According to the report, the office of Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, described the escalation of operations in Rafah as a threat to regional security and peace, labeling it a crossing of a red line. An Israeli official, who wished to remain anonymous, told Reuters that Israel would attempt to organize Palestinians who have fled from the north to return to northern Gaza before the ground operation in Rafah. The army emphasized that it would take measures to prevent civilian casualties and accused Hamas militants of hiding among civilians, including in schools, shelters, and hospitals. Hamas has denied these accusations. The United States, Israel's main ally, has called for a reduction of its all-out war to a more targeted campaign against Hamas leaders. Biden stated that he has pressured for the normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, an increase in humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians, and a pause in the war to free hostages held by Hamas. Hamas had proposed a 135-day ceasefire during which all remaining hostages would be released, Israel would withdraw its forces from Gaza, and an agreement would be reached to end the war. This proposal was a response to a suggestion prepared by the heads of the CIA and Mossad with Qatar and Egypt and presented to Hamas. Netanyahu described the proposed conditions as 'delusional' on Wednesday and vowed to continue the war, stating that only a few months remain until victory. Blinken's trip to the Middle East and the obstacles to the release of hostages held by Hamas and a pause in the war have heightened international concerns about the civilian situation. Biden deemed Israel's military response in Gaza as 'excessive'.