Hamas will remain in Rafah even if the Israeli army launches a large-scale operation in the entire city, Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth said on Saturday.
The newspaper cited an unnamed Israeli military source emphasizing the critical significance of post-war decision-making concerning Gaza.
"Even if we work throughout Rafah, Hamas will remain there including its infrastructure,” the source said.
“The most effective way to replace Hamas, is by presenting a viable alternative, whether it's a military regime backed by substantial economic resources or another political entity to supplant it,” the sources added.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army claimed in a statement that, “so far, about 300,000 residents of Rafah have moved towards the expanded humanitarian zone in Al-Mawasi,” west of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip.
Earlier Saturday, the Israeli army demanded the evacuation of additional areas in eastern Rafah after the Israeli security Cabinet voted on Friday to expand the operation in the city.
Several countries had warned Israel against carrying out a military operation in Rafah, which houses nearly 1.5 million displaced Palestinians.
Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip in retaliation for an Oct. 7, 2023 cross-border attack by Hamas which killed around 1,200 people.
Nearly 35,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have since been killed, and nearly 78,600 others injured, according to Palestinian health authorities.
Seven months into the conflict, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.
Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January said it is "plausible" that Tel Aviv is committing genocide in Gaza, ordering it to stop such acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.
South Africa on Friday asked the ICJ to order Israel to withdraw from Rafah as part of additional emergency measures over the war.
