TEL AVIV, Israel (NewsNation) — It has been 200 days since Hamas militants stormed Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 200 hostages.
Now, Israel’s military is preparing for a major invasion of Gaza’s southern city of Rafah. It’s estimated that over half of Gaza’s population is sheltering in Rafah after evacuating from Khan Younis and Gaza City further north.
Israel’s imminent invasion of Rafah
The first step for the Israeli military would be to evacuate civilians from the city.
It’s estimated that over half of Gaza’s population is currently sheltering in Rafah. The Wall Street Journal, citing Israeli and Egyptian officials, reported Israel plans to move civilians out of the southern city to places like Khan Younis, where shelters will be set up.
Satellite photos appear to show a new compound of tents being built near Khan Younis as the Israeli military continues to signal it plans an offensive on the city of Rafah. The process is estimated to take multiple weeks before the actual Israeli military operation would begin. The military said it was not involved in the tent construction.
The U.S. has made it clear in recent weeks it has serious concerns about an Israeli invasion of Rafah due to the growing humanitarian issue in Gaza. In the same breath, the U.S. said Hamas doesn’t appear interested in any truce, leaving tensions high in the Middle East.
U.S. and Israeli officials say Hamas has constantly adjusted its demands, making it hard to reach an agreement on a cease-fire.
Regional unrest grows
The conflict has sparked regional unrest pitting Israel and the U.S. against Iran and allied militant groups across the Middle East. Israel and Iran traded fire directly this month, raising fears of all-out war.
The war was sparked by the unprecedented Oct. 7 raid into southern Israel in which Hamas and other militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250 hostages. Israel says militants are still holding around 100 hostages and the remains of more than 30 others.
The Israel-Hamas war has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, around two-thirds of them children and women. It has devastated Gaza’s two largest cities and left a swath of destruction. Around 80% of the territory’s population has fled to other parts of the besieged coastal enclave.
US aid package for Israel
The U.S. House of Representatives approved a $26 billion aid package on Saturday that includes around $9 billion in humanitarian assistance for Gaza, which experts say is on the brink of famine, as well as billions for Israel. The U.S. Senate could pass the package as soon as Tuesday, and President Joe Biden has promised to sign it immediately.
Reuters, The Associated Press and NewsNation’s Devan Markham contributed to this report.