'Humanitarian islands': how will Israel's plan for Rafah civilians work?
Designated zones in central Gaza to provide temporary housing, food and water for more than a million displaced Palestinians
Israel is to direct a "significant" number of the 1.4 million Palestinians trapped in the Gaza city of Rafah to so-called "humanitarian islands", ahead of a military offensive aimed at destroying Hamas's final stronghold.
Designated zones in Deir el-Balah Governorate, which covers 56 square km in central Gaza, will provide temporary housing, food, water and other necessities, Israel's chief military spokesperson, Daniel Hagari, said on Wednesday.
The area around Rafah, near Gaza's southern border with Egypt, has become the epicentre of fighting in recent weeks. Israel claims the region is home to four Hamas battalions and therefore key to freeing the remaining Israeli hostages. It is also the main entry point for aid into the coastal enclave.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What did the commentators say?
The "once-sleepy" city of Rafah was "deemed a 'safe zone' for displaced civilians" fleeing fighting in the north, said Al Jazeera. The population has increased five-fold since the 7 October Hamas attacks, with most of the new arrivals living in makeshift structures, tents, or out in the open, according to UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.
UN officials have warned that an attack on the densely populated area – which holds more than half of Gaza's entire population – will be catastrophic, with more than 600,000 children in the path of an assault.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said a Rafah offensive is crucial to achieve Israel's stated aim of destroying Hamas, but the fate of the Palestinian civilians living there has become a "major area of concern of Israel's allies – including the United States – and humanitarian groups", said Al Arabiya.
The US has been particularly "firm" with Israel over its concerns about Rafah, said the Daily Mail. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters that protecting and aiding civilians must be "job number one" for Israel as it looks to wipe out Hamas.
The US and fellow mediators Qatar and Egypt failed to broker an extended ceasefire before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan began this week. USA Today said the Joe Biden administration "has pressed Israel to devise a workable strategy" to spare civilians in Rafah from the violence that, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, has left more than 31,000 dead and 73,000 injured in Gaza since the start of the war.
But there have also been "contradictory statements" coming from the White House, said Al Jazeera. President Biden said over the weekend that any invasion of Rafah would be a "red line", before reiterating that he would never "leave Israel" or "cut off all weapons" to the US ally.
Amid mounting international pressure on Israel to ensure the safety of Palestinians in and around Rafah, Hagari stressed that any "humanitarian islands" will be carried out in coordination with international actors.
Yet humanitarian groups remain highly sceptical of Israel's plans. They point to designated safe zones where evacuees were directed at the start of the war, in a slice of undeveloped land along Gaza's Mediterranean coast. Aid groups say that there were no real plans in place to receive large numbers of displaced people and that Israeli strikes still targeted the area.
What's next?
Israel has not revealed when the offensive in Rafah will begin, nor when the evacuation will occur. Announcing the "humanitarian islands" plan, Hagari said only that Israel wanted the timing to be right operationally and to be coordinated with neighbouring Egypt, which has said it does not want an influx of displaced Palestinians crossing its border.
Israel had issued an ultimatum to Hamas that it would invade Rafah by the start of Ramadan unless the group released the remaining hostages. That deadline passed on Sunday, but "hints" from Defence Minister Yoav Gallant suggest it could come soon, said The Times of Israel.
"The conclusion is that there is no safe place in Gaza for terrorists," Gallant said while visiting Gaza City. "Even those who think that we are delaying will soon see that we will reach everyone."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Earth may be gaining a temporary moon
A planetary plus-one
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
10 upcoming albums to stream in sweater weather
The Week Recommends As summer turns to fall, check out these new albums from Fleetwood Mac, Katy Perry, Kim Deal and more
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
How will the introduction of AI change Apple's iPhone?
'Apple Intelligence' is set to be introduced on the iPhone 16 as part of iOS 18
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
What happens if Russia declares war on Nato?
Today's Big Question Fears are growing after Vladimir Putin's 'unusually specific warning' to Western governments
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Missile escalation: will long-range rockets make a difference to Ukraine?
Today's Big Question Kyiv is hoping for permission to use US missiles to strike deep into Russian territory
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Iran and Israel: is all-out war inevitable?
Talking Points Tehran has vowed revenge for assassinations of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, but Gaza ceasefire could offer way out
By The Week UK Published
-
Who would fight Europe's war against Russia?
Today's Big Question Western armies are struggling to recruit and retain soldiers amid fears Moscow's war in Ukraine may spread across Europe
By Abby Wilson Published
-
Are Ukraine's F-16 fighter jets too little too late?
Today's Big Question US-made aircraft are 'significant improvement' on Soviet-era weaponry but long delay and lack of trained pilots could undo advantage against Russia
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Hamas and Hezbollah strikes: what does it mean for Israel?
Today's Big Question Iran vows revenge for death of Hamas political leader in Tehran, hours after Israeli strike kills top Hezbollah member in Beirut
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
What would war between Israel and Hezbollah look like?
Today's Big Question A conflict that neither side wants could cause devastation and spark direct US-Iran confrontation
By Elliott Goat, The Week UK Published
-
Could Hezbollah defeat Israel?
Today's Big Question 'World's best-armed non-state group' on brink of all-out war with neighbour as UN chief warns of regional 'catastrophe'
By Elliott Goat, The Week UK Published