‘Evacuate now’ Israel warns Rafah civilians being used as ‘human shields’ as IDF prepare to wipe out Hamas in last stand

RESIDENTS still trapped in Rafah will be used as “human shields” by Hamas thugs if they don’t evacuate the war-torn city NOW, Israel has warned.

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) are continuing to gear up for their immense six-week assault on the Gazan city to once and for all eliminate any remaining Hamas terrorists in a final battle.

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Israel‘s defence minister warned on Sunday that an invasion of refugee-filled Rafah is imminent after a ceasefire deal crumbled due to Hamas’ demands.

Bodies have already been piling up on the streets of Rafah as reports of dogs feasting on the corpses have started to emerge as the city awaits an almighty siege.

Yoav Gallant warned his government was preparing to launch “a powerful operation in the very near future in Rafah and other places across all of Gaza”.

Some 1.5million civilians are sheltering in Rafah, with most having fled from cities, refugee camps, and villages further north.

Over 100,000 citizens are being ordered to quickly flee the eastern parts of the city by Israel as an attack looms.

Leaflets telling them to escape were dropped over Rafah across the weekend.

The IDF has built up a humanitarian area near the coast called Muwasi for people to stay.

The army said it had expanded the area to accommodate the huge surge in people turning up.

Hospitals, tents, food and water have all been stockpiled.

Israel is said to be planning to strike five sprawling Hamas tunnels and hideouts which it claims exist beneath the battered city.

Speaking to troops, Gallant said: “We have clear goals for this war: we are committed to the elimination of Hamas and the release of the hostages…

“We have identified alarming signs that Hamas actually does not intend to go for any agreement framework with us.

“What this means is an operation in Rafah and the entire Gaza Strip in the very near future.”

Less than half of the 250 hostages snatched by militants on October 7 have been released in the seven months since Hamas launched its assault on Israel, though many are believed to have died in captivity.

The United Nations have warned any assault on Rafah could spark a bloodbath for helpless civilians.

Nations including the UK and the US are also pushing to avert a Rafah offensive.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said it would be “the biggest catastrophe in the Palestinian people’s history“.

But Netanyahu said Israel “will stand alone” if it must, telling world leaders at the weekend: “No amount of pressure, no decision by any international forum will stop Israel from defending itself.

“Never again is now.”

Defence Minister Gallant added that “strong military action” will begin in Rafah “in the very near future, and in the rest of the Strip”.

Satellite images in April showed Israel were already gearing up their troops and military trucks for the attack.

The chilling prediction of a last stand offensive in Rafah comes as reports out of the country say animals have started to eat on the piles of dead bodies building up on the streets.

Palestinian civilians have revealed the horrors they witness daily in the destroyed strip with one refugee in Gaza telling the BBC that dogs have been dragging corpses out of make-shift graves.

Abu Daqqa said: “This morning the dogs took out a body from one of the graves and were eating it.

“From night until dawn the dogs do not let us sleep… Our children keep holding on to me because of how scared they are.”

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It comes as…

• Israel orders Rafah residents to evacuate as they plan for assault
• Hamas dash hopes of a Gaza ceasefire by repeating “impossible” demands
• Hamas attacks aid crossing in Gaza, killing three
• Israel builds up humanitarian bases for Rafah refugees to flee
• Dogs are starting to eat rotting corpses in Gaza
• Hamas accused of using civilians as “human shields” again

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Hours before the IDF evacuation order, Hamas brutally attacked an aid crossing killing Israeli troops.

It was branded proof that the terror group is using Palestinians as “human shields” to keep themselves alive.

Three soldiers were killed with 11 others being injured after 10 rockets were launched towards the Kerem Shalom crossing on Saturday where aid is regularly delivered across.

The Israeli military branded the attack “a clear example of the terrorist organisation’s systematic exploitation of humanitarian facilities and spaces”.

As they also said the terror group were once again using helpless Gazan civilians as “human shields”. 

Hamas said the target of the strikes was an Israeli military base and denied using civilians as human shields.

CEASEFIRE TROUBLES

The threat of an imminent invasion of Rafah came as peace deal negotiations stalled on Sunday due to Hamas’ “extreme” demands.

The offer from Israel is believed to be a similar one to the deal in place during the first public ceasefire agreement in November 2023.

Hostages are set to be freed on humanitarian grounds including the remaining women, children, men over 50, and those who are sick.

An increased supply of aid will also be delivered to the blitzed coastal strip after weeks of famine fears.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “Hamas remains entrenched in its extreme positions, first among them the demand to remove all our forces from the Gaza Strip, end the war, and leave Hamas in power.

“Israel cannot accept that.”

He added: “We are not willing to accept a situation in which Hamas’ battalions leave their tunnels, reestablish control over the Strip, rebuild their military industries and go back to threatening the citizens of Israel in the communities of the Western Negev, the cities of the south and throughout the country.

“In such a case, the next October 7, would only be a matter of time. Hamas would be able to realise its promise to carry out repeated massacres, rapes, and abductions.”

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Egyptian and Qatari mediators worked with the head of the CIA, William Burns, in Cairo over the weekend to try and progress a truce agreement – without a delegation from Israel.

Hamas’ delegation is said to have left the negotiating table after it said it would only agree to a deal if Israel permanently ends the war.

The deal currently on the table involves Hamas releasing 33 hostages – all women, the elderly, and the sick.

On Sunday, Netanyahu said Israel had been “very generous” in its offer and was willing to pause fighting for 40 days to secure the release of the Israeli hostages.

Hamas’ “extreme” demands included, according to the Israeli PM, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, the end of the war, and leaving the militant group intact.

The Israeli politician ruled out ending the war until all of his “aims are achieved”.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken dubbed Israeli’s offer “extraordinarily generous” given their superiority in all aspects of the current conflict.

He said earlier this week: “The only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas.”

Britain’s Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron also described Israel’s offer as “generous”.

He said: “I hope Hamas do take this deal and frankly, all the pressure in the world and all the eyes in the world should be on them today saying ‘take that deal.’”

Netanyahu has vowed to crush the “last bastion” of Hamas, which he believes is hiding in – or below – Rafah.

The Israeli PM has previously indicated the war in Gaza will continue “until Hamas is destroyed” and that “anyone who thinks we’ll (Israel will) stop is unmoored from reality”.

He said in December: “We’re raining fire on Hamas, hellfire. All Hamas terrorists, from first to last, face death.

“They have two options only: surrender or die.”

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