The Israeli military on Monday ordered tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians in Rafah to evacuate, a move indicating Israel's offensive on Gaza's southmost area could be imminent.

Palestinian civilians rushed to flee parts of Rafah on Monday after the Israeli military told some 100,000 people to leave the southern Gaza city, a possible signal that a long-feared ground offensive could be imminent with talks for a last-ditch truce deal stalled.

Hamas says it will accept a cease-fire agreement in Gaza, just hours after Israel ordered civilians in eastern Rafah to evacuate. Israel has yet to accept the terms.

Palestinians celebrated after Hamas said it would accept an Egyptian-Qatari ceasefire proposal to halt war with Israel.

The evacuation announcement came seven months into the bloody conflict between Israel and Hamas that was sparked by the terrorist group’s Oct. 7, 2023 surprise attack.

The Israeli military began warning more than 100,000 people in eastern Rafah to evacuate, signaling that it was moving closer to invading the southernmost Gazan city.

There are more than one million in Rafah, most of whom fled there after the outbreak of the war in October. Israel says Rafah is the last bastion of Hamas.

Israel’s military has ordered tens of thousands of people in the southern Gaza city of Rafah to begin evacuating, signaling that a long-promised ground invasion could be imminent

The Israeli military issued evacuation orders for Palestinians sheltering in some parts of eastern Rafah, warning them of an anticipated offensive to rout Hamas in the southern Gazan city. Photo: Abed