Israel-Hamas cease-fire hope fades, Palestinians told to evacuate east Rafah ahead of expected offensive

Israel's military ordered Palestinians in the eastern part of the Gaza Strip city of Rafah to evacuate Monday ahead of a ground offensive long promised by the Jewish state's leaders. The message was delivered with fliers, phone calls, messages and media broadcasts in Arabic after a weekend that saw hope for a new cease-fire in the seven-month Israel-Hamas war dashed yet again. 

People quickly started fleeing from the eastern part of Rafah on Monday, on foot or by any other means available to them. There were reports of Israeli airstrikes hitting eastern Rafah just hours after the evacuation order was given, but the military did not immediately confirm any new strikes on the crowded city.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government had stressed its intent to carry out an incursion into Rafah, Gaza's southernmost city, over the last week despite last-ditch efforts led by the U.S., Qatar and Egypt to broker a new cease-fire deal.