Israel expands "safe zone" in Rafah ahead of potential invasion, officials confirm

Israel has shifted its strategy from an all-out assault to one that aims to minimize civilian casualties. Despite pressure from allies not to invade Rafah, a city in southern Gaza where over a million displaced Palestinians are living, Israel claims a push into the city is necessary to eliminate militants hiding in tunnels beneath the city. However, if an invasion were to occur, civilians would be relocated to a safe zone along the coast. The population of Rafah has been significantly swollen due to Palestinians fleeing the Israeli offensive in other parts of Gaza, with Western powers and Cairo expressing concerns about the fate of these refugees. Israel's defense ministry has purchased 40,000 tents to accommodate displaced persons. Meanwhile, two reservist brigades have been mobilized for missions in Gaza, and footage shows rows of white tents being set up in Khan Younis.

The Israeli military is planning to invade Rafah, a city in the Gaza Strip, which could lead to an "apocalyptic situation", according to Jan Egeland, the head of the Refugee Council. The plan involves targeting Hamas fighters who are sheltered among a million displaced Palestinians. Israel is also planning to evacuate civilians from parts of Beit Lahia, in northern Gaza, and is considering creating a safe zone for evacuees in areas currently crowded with displaced Gazans. This would be part of a larger plan to launch a ground offensive in Rafah.