News - Middle East: Amnesty International has expressed grave concerns regarding the "imminent risk of genocide" in Rafah, the southern part of the Gaza Strip. The organization highlighted the escalating danger faced by civilians due to continuous Israeli bombings spanning over four months.

The population of Rafah has reportedly multiplied by five since the onset of the Israeli offensive in October. Amnesty International also underscored the urgent issue of civilians lacking safe havens to escape the relentless bombardment and warned of an impending humanitarian crisis.

On Monday, at least 100 civilians, mostly women and children, were killed, and nearly 230 others were wounded in extensive air raids and artillery strikes by the Israeli regime against Rafah.

The aggression came as more than 1.4 million people, about five times Rafah's usual population, have fled to the city amid Israel's genocide in the Gaza Strip, which has killed upwards of 28,473 Palestinians since its commencement on October 7, 2023.

Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, ordered the Israeli military on Friday to prepare to evacuate civilians from Rafah ahead of a planned ground operation against the city. Aid organizations, however, say such a move will be nearly impossible, given the scale of devastation elsewhere in Gaza and the huge number of people trapped in the besieged area.