Israel Prepares for Another Military Operation, Gazans Flee Again

GAZA, TUESDAY — Israel is preparing to launch further military operations in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. The military ordered the evacuation of residents in Rafah City and parts of Khan Younis City on Monday (31/3/2025), a day after the Eid al-Fitr celebration. Hundreds of thousands of residents are forced to flee again for their safety.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have ordered the residents of Rafah and parts of Khan Younis City to relocate to Al Mawasi. Al Mawasi is a squalid refugee camp located along the coast, northwest of Rafah.

"IDF has once again carried out intensive operations to neutralize the capabilities of terrorist organizations in this area. For your safety, immediately move to a shelter in Al Mawasi," tweeted IDF Colonel Avichay Adraee on platform X, Monday (31/3/2025).

Adraee's call also included a map of Gaza, with parts of Gaza marked in red, including Rafah.

Israel ended the ceasefire with Hamas on March 18 by launching air and ground attacks. Consequently, the nearly two-month-long ceasefire came to a halt. According to Hamas, approximately 1,001 people have been killed since then.

Tel Aviv is also blocking humanitarian aid, including food, fuel, and medicine, for approximately 2 million Palestinian residents in Gaza. This move aims to compel Hamas to accept changes to the ceasefire agreement.

The day before, Sunday (30/3/2025), Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered to allow Hamas leaders to leave Gaza while demanding disarmament. Hamas was willing to relinquish the administration of Gaza but not its weaponry.

Netanyahu also stated that Israel would ensure Gaza's security after the war and implement the plan of United States President Donald Trump regarding the region. Trump proposed that 2.4 million Gaza residents relocate to neighboring countries, such as Egypt and Jordan.

The Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini said more than 140,000 people were affected by Israel's evacuation order for Rafah.

According to him, Palestinians have to struggle with death, disease, hunger, and destruction. As if that were not enough, the military command also plays with their fate.

“This has caused panic, anxiety and uncertainty on the first day of Eid al-Fitr, a time to be with family and loved ones. Where should people go? Unlike other conflicts, Gaza is being bombarded from all sides,” Lazzarini wrote in X.

Palestinians began leaving Rafah on Monday (31/3/2025). Many families left on foot carrying belongings. Children held the hands of adults.

Others brought their belongings using carts and donkeys, or cars. Others brought nothing. They were told they had only two hours to evacuate before the Israeli army arrived.

"Right now I'm walking, there's no transportation, and I don't have money to take a car. As you can see, we don't have any luggage, we left all our belongings," said Ali Mansour, a Rafah resident.

Hanadi Dahoud, a resident of Khan Younis, is tired of the uncertain situation in Gaza. “We are dying. There is no food, no water, no electricity, no medicine. We just want to live. We are tired,” he said.

Amid calls for evacuation by Israel, Hamas called on its supporters around the world to fight against the eviction of Palestinians.

“In the face of this evil plot—which combines massacre with starvation—everyone who can bear arms, anywhere in the world, must take action,” senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said in a statement on Monday (31/3/2025).

Hamas is also having a headache facing internal turmoil. For several days in late March, thousands of Palestinians demonstrated urging Hamas to leave the Gaza Strip. The protests occurred after the Hamas-Israel ceasefire was broken.

Alan Mendoza, founder of the Henry Jackson Society think tank in Britain, said Israel appeared to be taking Trump's plan seriously, a concern for Hamas, whose existence depends on controlling Gaza.

“This is a two-pronged pressure that Hamas faces, both externally and internally. Internally, Hamas has brought its own people to disaster, so if they make external pressure a national goal, they can bring people together,” Mendoza said.

However, not only Hamas, Israel is also facing internal challenges. Authorities are investigating Netanyahu for the Qatargate corruption case. In addition, Israelis have also returned to protest after the ceasefire stopped to demand the release of hostages in Gaza. (AP/AFP)