Israeli military orders the evacuation of Gaza’s southern city of Rafah

By WAFAA SHURAFA and FATMA KHALED

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Medics killed by Israeli fireplace are buriedNetanyahu vows to implement Trump’s Gaza plan

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel’s army on Monday issued sweeping evacuation orders protecting Rafah and close by areas, indicating it might quickly launch one other main floor operation within the Gaza Strip’s southernmost metropolis.

Israel ended its ceasefire with Hamas and renewed its air and floor conflict earlier this month. Firstly of March it lower off all provides of meals, gasoline, medication and humanitarian support to the territory’s roughly 2 million Palestinians to stress Hamas to just accept proposed modifications to the truce settlement. Hamas has been designated as a terrorist group by the US, Canada and the European Union.

Israel’s army ordered Palestinians to move to Muwasi, a sprawl of squalid tent camps alongside the coast. The orders got here throughout Eid al-Fitr, a usually festive Muslim vacation marking the tip of the fasting month of Ramadan.

Final Might, Israel launched a significant operation in Rafah, on the border with Egypt, leaving giant elements in ruins. The army seized a strategic hall alongside the border in addition to the Rafah crossing with Egypt, Gaza’s solely gateway to the surface world that was not managed by Israel.

Israel was speculated to withdraw from the hall below the ceasefire it signed with Hamas in January below U.S. stress, however it later refused to do it, citing the necessity to stop weapons smuggling.

Displaced Palestinians, who flee from Rafah, arrive in Khan Younis, Gaza, on Monday, March 31, 2025, after the Israeli army issued sweeping evacuation orders protecting most of Rafah. (AP Picture/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Mourners comply with the convoy carrying the our bodies of 8 Pink Crescent emergency responders, recovered in Rafah per week after an Israeli assault, as they’re transported for burial in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, on Monday, March 31, 2025. (AP Picture/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Mourners carry the our bodies of 8 Pink Crescent emergency responders, recovered in Rafah per week after an Israeli assault, as they’re transported for burial from a hospital in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, on Monday, March 31, 2025. (AP Picture/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Mourners carry the our bodies of 8 Pink Crescent emergency responders, recovered in Rafah per week after an Israeli assault, throughout their funeral in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, on Mon day, March 31, 2025. (AP Picture/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Mourners carry the our bodies of 8 Pink Crescent emergency responders, recovered in Rafah per week after an Israeli assault, as they’re transported for burial from a hospital in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, on Monday, March 31, 2025. (AP Picture/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Mourners react throughout the funeral of 8 Pink Crescent emergency responders, recovered in Rafah per week after an Israeli assault, in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, on Monday, March 31, 2025. (AP Picture/Abdel Kareem Hana)

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Displaced Palestinians, who flee from Rafah, arrive in Khan Younis, Gaza, on Monday, March 31, 2025, after the Israeli army issued sweeping evacuation orders protecting most of Rafah. (AP Picture/Abdel Kareem Hana)

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Medics killed by Israeli fireplace are buried

Dozens gathered at a funeral for a few of the 15 emergency responders killed by Israeli fireplace throughout a floor operation in Rafah final week. The Worldwide Federation of Pink Cross and Pink Crescent Societies known as it the deadliest assault on its medics in a number of years.

Raed al-Nems, a spokesperson for the Palestinian Pink Crescent, stated the paramedics have been “killed in chilly blood” regardless of carrying uniforms and working in clearly labeled ambulances. At funeral prayers, their shrouds have been draped with Pink Crescent banners.

Israel’s army has stated its forces opened fireplace on a number of automobiles that raised suspicions by advancing with out headlights or emergency alerts. The army stated a Hamas operative and eight different fighters have been amongst these killed.

The United Nations humanitarian workplace stated the useless included eight Pink Crescent staff, six members of Gaza’s Civil Protection, which operates below the Hamas-run authorities, and a U.N. employee.

Rescuers have been solely allowed to entry the realm practically per week later to get well the our bodies. Footage of Sunday’s restoration operation launched by the U.N. confirmed Civil Protection staff digging right into a mound of sand and pulling out a physique carrying the identical orange vest as theirs.

Netanyahu vows to implement Trump’s Gaza plan

Israel has vowed to accentuate its army operations till Hamas releases the remaining 59 hostages it holds — 24 of them believed to be alive. Israel has additionally demanded that Hamas disarm and depart the territory, circumstances that weren’t included within the ceasefire settlement and which Hamas has rejected.