Palestinians brace for Rafah evacuation, Israeli assault plan

Gaza's health ministry said at least 27,947 Palestinians had been confirmed killed in the conflict and 67,459 injured

Palestinians look at the destruction after an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, Gaza SAtrip, Friday, Feb. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)

Trapped in and around Rafah, more than one million Palestinians braced for Israel to complete a plan to evacuate them and launch a ground assault against Hamas fighters in the southern Gaza city.

Aid agencies warned that large numbers of civilians could die in the Israeli offensive and the UN Palestinian refugee agency said it did not know how long it could work "in such a high risk operation."