JERUSALEM 

Israeli authorities are reviewing the steps to be taken prior to a possible military operation in Rafah city in the southern Gaza Strip.

Israeli public broadcaster KAN quoted Israeli political sources as saying "residents of the Gaza Strip will be evacuated from Rafah before initiating military operations there."

This comes as the army claims to conclude its operation in Khan Younis.

Israel could also evacuate Rafah residents to other places in the Gaza Strip in order to reduce the population density near the border with Egypt.

On Monday, Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the army's next target in the Gaza Strip will be Rafah, claiming it is the last remaining stronghold of the Palestinian group Hamas.

Gallant claimed that Hamas fighters and leaders are hiding in Rafah.

Several rights groups have warned against any Israeli military offensive in Rafah, which could result in huge loss of lives.

Israel has launched a deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 attack by Hamas in which Tel Aviv says nearly 1,200 Israelis were killed.

At least 27,585 Palestinians have been killed and 66,978 others injured in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, the Health Ministry in the enclave said on Monday.

The Israeli offensive has left 85% of Gaza’s population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara