Israeli military says preparations for ground operation in Rafah completed

The photo released by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on April 25, 2024 shows Israeli troops conducting a military operation in the central Gaza Strip. Israel is expected to begin evacuating civilians from Rafah "soon" ahead of a planned assault on Gaza's southernmost city, state-owned Israeli Kan TV reported on Thursday, following meetings of the country's war Cabinet. (Israel Defense Forces/Handout via Xinhua)

JERUSALEM, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces Herzi Halevi informed Israel's wartime cabinet on Thursday that the army had completed preparations for a ground attack on Rafah, Gaza's southernmost city, state-owned Kan radio reported.

Israel's wartime cabinet and security cabinet convened on Thursday to discuss a possible assault on Rafah, a city previously considered a "safe zone" from the relentless Israeli bombardments, where about 1.4 million displaced Palestinians have found refuge.

According to the report, Halevi presented attack plans to members of the wartime cabinet and said that the ground forces were ready to move in once the order was given.

The photo released by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on April 25, 2024 shows Israeli troops conducting a military operation in the central Gaza Strip. Israel is expected to begin evacuating civilians from Rafah "soon" ahead of a planned assault on Gaza's southernmost city, state-owned Israeli Kan TV reported on Thursday, following meetings of the country's war Cabinet. (Israel Defense Forces/Handout via Xinhua)

Meanwhile, the ministers also discussed new attempts to push forward a ceasefire that would secure the release of more than 100 hostages held in Gaza, some of whom are presumed to be dead.

Previously, Israel informed the U.S. that it would order civilians to evacuate before launching the attack.

According to Israel's Channel 12 TV news, the Israeli government has formulated a four-phase evacuation plan, which includes securing humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip, developing essential infrastructure, such as water and communication, in designated evacuation areas, establishing approximately 10 field hospitals, and reconstructing demolished hospitals in the designated evacuation zones.

Additionally, the plan includes providing 40,000 tents to accommodate civilians expected to be evacuated from Rafah.

People gather among rubble of destroyed buildings after an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, April 21, 2024. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)