*Israeli Military Prepares for Rafah Operation Amidst Humanitarian Concerns*

Israeli military preparations are underway to evacuate Palestinian civilians from Rafah and confront remaining Hamas fighters in the southern Gaza Strip city, according to a senior Israeli defense official on Wednesday. Despite international warnings of a humanitarian crisis, Israel is pushing forward with plans for a ground operation, although no specific timeline has been provided by the government.

To accommodate relocated Palestinians from Rafah ahead of the assault, Israel's Defense Ministry has acquired 40,000 tents capable of housing 10 to 12 people each. Satellite images from Maxar Technologies show the establishment of tent camps in Khan Younis, located approximately 5 km (3 miles) from Rafah, although the authenticity of related online videos remains unverified by Reuters.

A government source indicated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's war cabinet intends to convene within the next two weeks to authorize civilian evacuations, with the process expected to span around a month. The defense official, speaking anonymously to Reuters, mentioned that while the military is ready to act, a final green light from Netanyahu is awaited.

Rafah currently hosts over a million Palestinians who fled the recent Israeli offensive throughout Gaza. The prospect of yet another displacement is met with fear among residents like Aya, who expressed concerns about the unpredictability of a potential invasion.

Israel, aiming to neutralize Hamas following attacks on Israeli towns, alleges that Rafah houses four Hamas combat battalions reinforced by retreating fighters. The Israeli military is determined to defeat them to claim victory.

Despite U.S. opposition to a ground operation in Rafah due to humanitarian concerns, Israeli officials remain resolute. Washington advocates for alternative methods to address the presence of Hamas fighters in the area.

Egypt, which borders Rafah, has warned against an Israeli incursion, predicting dire consequences including mass casualties and widespread destruction. Cairo emphasized that it will not permit Gaza residents to be pushed across the border into Egyptian territory.

Efforts by international parties to broker a ceasefire have not succeeded, and Israel has largely withdrawn ground troops from southern Gaza while maintaining airstrikes and occasional raids.

The conflict has resulted in significant casualties, with Gaza medical officials reporting thousands dead and many more feared buried under rubble. Israeli sources cite casualties from Hamas attacks, including hostages taken during an October assault.

The looming assault on Rafah is seen by analysts as inevitable given Netanyahu's objectives to rescue hostages and eliminate Hamas leadership, although concerns persist about potential casualties resulting from such an operation.