Israel Prepares Reserve Soldiers For Land Attacks On Rafah

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday asked the military to mobilize reserve troops in preparation for ground attacks in Rafah City, southern Gaza Strip, a local media reported.

According to Channel 13, quoted by Antara, Chief of General Staff Herzi Halevi said that the Israeli military is ready to carry out any mission, "but there is a political aspect that must be addressed first."

A senior Israeli official, who did not wish to be named, told the media that "operations in Rafah are getting closer."

Netanyahu on Friday ordered the military to submit two plans to evacuate Palestinians from Rafah, in which more than 1 million people were displaced by the war, and to defeat the remaining "Hamasbatalions".

Palestinians have fled to Rafah when Israel attacked other parts of Gaza after the Hamas attack on October 7. Israeli attacks have killed more than 28,000 Palestinians, in addition to causing mass destruction and scarcity of basic necessities.

Israel's war left 85 percent of Gaza's population displaced amid limited food, clean water, and medicines, while 60 percent of the infrastructure in the Palestinian enclave was damaged or destroyed, according to the United Nations.