In the last 72 hours, Palestinians have begun to flee Rafah's massive tent cities in large numbers, as indicated by new satellite imagery from Planet Labs. While some camps in Rafah experienced a decrease in population between Sunday and Tuesday, the majority of identified camps saw their most significant declines since Tuesday.
On Monday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued an evacuation order to residents in Eastern Rafah, directing them to move immediately towards Al Mawasi and other areas north of Rafah. Many individuals have chosen to flee even further north than Al-Mawasi, seeking refuge in central Gaza where there is more infrastructure available.
Previously, some of the tent camps were located in United Nations schools, open fields, or along roadways for months. Now, a considerable number of these camps have disappeared, although many individuals remain despite the IDF's instructions to leave.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) spokesperson reported on Thursday evening that an estimated 80,000 refugees have fled Rafah. However, they emphasized that the situation is highly dynamic. The IDF estimates that approximately 150,000 people have evacuated from eastern Rafah following the initial evacuation orders at the beginning of the week.
The IDF initiated ground operations on Tuesday after taking control of the Gaza-side of the Rafah border crossing. These operations are ongoing, with a primary focus on the easternmost sections of Rafah, which are just over a mile away from the nearest camp.
