Israel forces thousands to flee Rafah

RAFAH: Israel has ordered new evacuations in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah, forcing tens of thousands more people to leave as it prepared to expand its military operation deeper into what is considered Gaza’s last refuge, in defiance of growing pressure from the US and other allies.

Israel’s military also said it was moving into an area of northern Gaza where it said the Hamas militant group had regrouped after seven months of fighting.

Hamas released a video overnight saying 51-year-old British man Nadav Popplewell, who was taken hostage from the southern Israeli community of Kibbutz Nirim, died after being wounded in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza.

The Israeli military did not offer comment on the latest video.

‘‘He died because he didn’t receive intensive medical care at medical facilities because of the enemy’s destruction of hospitals in Gaza,’’ Hamas armed wing spokesman Abu Ubaida said.

Israel has now evacuated the eastern third of Rafah, and military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said dozens of militants had been killed there as ‘‘targeted operations continued’’. The UN has said the planned full-scale Rafah invasion would further cripple humanitarian operations and cause a surge in civilian deaths.

Rafah borders Egypt near the main aid entry points, which already are affected. Israeli troops have captured the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing, forcing it to shut down. Egypt has refused to coordinate with Israel on the delivery of aid though the crossing because of ‘‘the unacceptable Israeli escalation’’, the state-owned Al Qahera News television channel reported, citing an unnamed official.

US President Joe Biden has said he won’t provide offensive weapons to Israel for Rafah. His administration said there was ‘‘reasonable’’ evidence Israel had breached international law protecting civilians.

Ophir Falk, a foreign policy adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel acted in compliance with the laws of armed conflict.

More than 1.4 million Palestinians, half of Gaza’s population, have been sheltering in Rafah, most after fleeing Israel’s offensives elsewhere. The latest evacuations are forcing some to return north, where areas are devastated from previous attacks. Aid agencies estimate 110,000 had left before yesterday’s order, which adds 40,000.

‘‘Do we wait until we all die on top of each other? So we’ve decided to leave,’’ Rafah resident Hanan al-Satari said as people loaded mattresses, water and other belongings onto vehicles.

‘‘The Israeli army does not have a safe area in Gaza. They target everything,’’ said displaced resident Abu Yusuf al-Deiri.

Fighting was under way in northern Gaza, where Hagari said the air force was carrying out airstrikes. Palestinians, told Israel would strike with ‘‘great force’’, had been told to leave for shelters in the west of Gaza City.

At least 19 people, including eight women and eight children, were killed at the weekend in central Gaza, according to Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital and an AP journalist who counted the bodies.

‘‘Children, what is the fault of the children who died?’’ one relative said.