The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) urged residents of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, to evacuate to nearby “safe” zones on Monday as a long-delayed attack by Israel against the last Hamas strongholds appeared to be imminent.

The apparent mobilization of the IDF came after Hamas fired rockets from close range at the Kerem Shalom crossing, where humanitarian aid crosses from Israel into Gaza, on Saturday, killing four soldiers and wounding several others.

The U.S. has been telling Israel, privately and publicly, not to attack Rafah since February. Israel insisted it would do so, regardless of international pressure and regardless of hostage talks, to complete its goal of destroying Hamas.

The IDF has been dropping flyers on Rafah with maps indicating where residents should take refuge during the fighting.

IDF Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee posted examples of these flyers on social media on Sunday:

The IDF elaborated in a statement (original emphasis):

In recent hours, flyers were dropped calling on the residents of eastern Rafah to evacuate temporarily toward the expanded humanitarian area.

Calls to temporarily move to the humanitarian area are conveyed through flyers, SMS messages, phone calls and media broadcasts in Arabic. 

…

Attached is the corrected version of the English translation to the flyers:

Red flyer:

To all residents and those currently in the areas of Al-Shuka, Al-Salam, Al-Janina, Taba Zaraa, and Al-Yarmouk, and the blocks: 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 28, 270.

The IDF will be operating against the terrorist organizations in the area where you are located, as it has operated until now.

Anyone found near terrorist organizations endangers themselves and their family members.

For your safety, the IDF urges you to evacuate immediately to the expanded Humanitarian Area in the Al-Mawasi area.

We warn you that Gaza City is still a dangerous active combat zone. Avoid returning north of Wadi Gaza.

We warn you to stay away from the eastern and southern security fences.

Israel Defense Forces.

Blue flyer:

The IDF announces the expansion of the humanitarian area in Al-Mawasi. 

From now on, the area will spread out from Deir al Balah in the north and up to blocks 2373, 2360, 2371 in the south and in the east to the center of Khan Yunis, as shown in the attached map. 

In this area the expanded humanitarian aid will continue.

The IDF will continue fighting the terror organizations that use you as human shields. 

Therefore:

Gaza City is a dangerous fighting zone; avoid crossing to the north of Wadi Gaza. 

It is prohibited to come near the eastern and southern security fences.

In a separate statement, the IDF explained:

There has been a surge of humanitarian aid going into Gaza. The IDF has expanded the humanitarian area in Al- Mawasi to accommodate the increased levels of aid flowing into Gaza. This expanded humanitarian area includes field hospitals, tents and increased amounts of food, water, medication and additional supplies.

In accordance with the approval of the government, an ongoing situation assessment will guide the gradual movement of civilians in the specified areas, to the humanitarian area.

Calls to temporarily move to the humanitarian area will be conveyed through posters, SMS messages, phone calls and media broadcasts in arabic.

The IDF will continue pursuing Hamas everywhere in Gaza until all the hostages that they’re holding in captivity are back home.

The apparent mobilization of IDF forces to begin the Rafah operation could be an elaborate bluff to increase pressure on Hamas to accept a hostage deal. Hamas has held out for an Israeli commitment to end the war with any such deal.

Talks are said to be deadlocked on that point. U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director William Burns shuttled between Doha, Qatar, and Jerusalem, Israel on Sunday and Monday in a last-ditch effort to save a potential deal.

Rafah is strategically significant because it is along the Egyptian border and controls underground smuggling routes through which Hamas obtains its weapons, and through which its leaders might hope to escape if Israel relents.

The vast majority of Israelis back an attack on Rafah, though the Israeli public is split over whether an operation in Rafah should precede a hostage deal. Hamas’s attack on Kerem Shalom may have made the decision for them.

The IDF’s moves toward an attack came on the nation’s Holocaust memorial day, hours after Netanyahu warned: “In the terrible Holocaust, there were great world leaders who stood by idly; therefore, the first lesson of the Holocaust is: If we do not defend ourselves, nobody will defend us. And if we need to stand alone, we will stand alone.”

The message was interpreted by some observers to be a message to U.S. President Joe Biden about Israeli intentions in Rafah.