Thousands of Palestinians were forced to flee Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah on Monday after the Israeli military issued new sweeping evacuation orders, signaling the potential for a major ground operation.
According to Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), at least 140,000 people have been affected by the evacuation orders. Lazzarini described the situation on social media, stating, “People are treated like pinballs with constant military orders playing with their fate and lives.” He added that the evacuation caused “panic, anxiety & uncertainty on the first day of Eid,” a time typically spent with family and loved ones to mark the end of Ramadan.
As families left Rafah, many were seen traveling north, carrying their belongings on donkeys, car roofs, or by foot, with children clutching their parents’ hands. Hanadi Dahoud, a displaced resident from Khan Younis, described the dire conditions, saying, “We are dying. There is no food, no drink, no electricity, no medicine. We want to live. We just want to live. We are tired.”
Israel’s evacuation orders affect Rafah and nearby areas, with Palestinians being instructed to move to Muwasi, a coastal area known for its overcrowded tent camps.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military continued its ground operations in northern Gaza, claiming it had expanded its security perimeter and dismantled a one-kilometer-long tunnel system used by Hamas. The Israeli forces also reported discovering a workshop used to produce rockets and launchers, and stated that “50 terrorists were eliminated” during the operation.
