Secret Meeting Held By Israel and Egypt to Invade Rafah

Three senior Israeli officials revealed in a meeting with Egypt that plans are in place for an Israeli Defense Force (IDF) invasion into Rafah, the southernmost city in the Gaza Strip, where over one million Palestinians currently live, as reported by Axios.

According to one official, the decision to evacuate the civilian population from Rafah is awaiting directives from Prime Minister Netanyahu. The situation also involves resolving matters with the US and Egypt.

President Biden warned against an invasion of Rafah in March, but the White House later acknowledged the shared objective of defeating Hamas in Rafah. However, there have been mixed signals from the Biden administration, as highlighted by Allison McManus from the Center for American Progress.

Concerns remain about the safety of Palestinian civilians amidst the potential military invasion. Aid group MedGlobal’s president, Dr. Zaher Sahloul, expressed fears of increased suffering and casualties if an invasion occurs.

Despite concerns, Israel is reportedly moving ahead with a ground operation in Rafah, although the timeline remains undisclosed. The IDF has presented gradual operational plans to the US Department of Defense, emphasizing a neighborhood-by-neighborhood evacuation approach rather than a full-scale invasion.