Posted on 05/20/24
| News Source: i24
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have successfully evacuated approximately 950,000 Palestinian civilians from Rafah in the Gaza Strip in just two weeks since May 6, the military revealed on Monday.
This large-scale evacuation was part of the ongoing Israeli military operations aimed at dismantling Hamas' control in the region.
According to the IDF, around 30 to 40 percent of Rafah is now under IDF control, while 60 to 70 percent of the city has been completely evacuated. The remaining civilians, estimated at 300,000-400,000, are concentrated near the Tel al-Sultan area along the Gaza coast.
This evacuation was achieved despite earlier U.S. predictions that such a large-scale movement could not be accomplished without significant casualties or a lengthy timeframe of about four months. The majority of those evacuated have relocated to the northwest region of al-Muwasi, with smaller numbers moving to central Gaza and Khan Yunis.
The IDF has reported significant progress in its military operations.
Despite facing resistance from the four Hamas battalions in Rafah, Israeli forces have managed to take them by surprise.
Initial resistance was more unified, but it appears that the battalions are now either dispersing, fleeing, or preparing for guerrilla warfare at a later stage. There is a possibility that Hamas may mount stronger resistance in the Tel al-Sultan area.