Israel's military has said it plans to move displaced Palestinians in Gaza to what it called "humanitarian islands" in the middle of the strip, ahead of any offensive in Rafah. Some 1.4 million people are sheltering in the southern city after fleeing the fighting between Israeli troops and Hamas in northern and central areas. It is not clear what the "islands" will look like, or how they will operate.Tented camp for displaced Palestinians in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip (11 March 2024)
IMAGE SOURCE, REUTERS
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More than a million people are crammed into makeshift camps and other shelters across Rafah
The IDF would also need to bolster its numbers again ahead of any new ground offensive.Israel has repeatedly signalled its need for such an operation, insisting Hamas cannot be fully removed in Gaza without targeting Rafah.The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza after Hamas gunmen killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel on 7 October and took 253 other people hostage.