Israel is purchasing 40,000 tents to house Palestinian refugees in preparation for a mass evacuation from Rafah when it launches its invasion, an Israeli official confirmed, Ednews informs via The Telegraph.
The country’s defence ministry published a proposal seeking a tent supplier to house refugees as part of its Rafah preparations, the official, who was not named, told the Times of Israel.
It comes after prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel has set a date for its invasion of Rafah, despite delegations from Israel and Hamas meeting in Cairo this week for US-mediated talks to negotiate a truce.
The order of tents would not come close to housing the population of Rafah, which has swelled to more than one million people in recent months as Palestinians fled their homes to seek refuge in Gaza’s southernmost city. Western leaders and the UN have repeatedly warned Israel against storming the city for fears of a bloodbath.