Netanyahu tells army to plan evacuation of Rafah, where some 1.5m Gazans have sought shelter, before attack

• In short: Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered Israel’s military to draw up a dual plan to evacuate Palestinian civilians from the crowded southern Gaza city of Rafah and defeat the last Hamas fighters there.
• NGOs have warned that a ground invasion of the town would be a “bloodbath” and the plans have also prompted an unusual public backlash from US officials.
• Israel says that Rafah is the last remaining stronghold of Hamas and it needs to send in troops to “collapse” the militant group.