The Israeli military says it plans to direct a significant portion of the 1.4 million displaced Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip's southernmost town of Rafah toward "humanitarian islands" in the centre of the territory.
The fate of the people in Rafah has been a major area of concern of Israel's allies — including the United States — and humanitarian groups, worried an offensive in the region densely crowded with displaced people would be a catastrophe.
Rafah is also Gaza's main entry point for much needed aid.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says a Rafah offensive is crucial to achieve Israel's stated aim of destroying Hamas following the group's October 7 attack.
Some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and around 250 taken hostage and brought into Gaza during the October offensive.
According to Gaza health officials, Israel's subsequent invasion of Gaza has killed more than 31,000, left much of the enclave in ruins and displaced some 80 per cent of Gaza's 2.3 million people.
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