According to the newspaper, which cited Arab media, Joe Biden’s administration gave the green light to the operation, which is rejected by the international community.

Egyptian officials told the London-based newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that Egypt is making preparations to deal with the impact of the Israeli assault on Rafah, where more than 1.4 million Palestinians are taking refuge. The government of Egypt, whose territory borders Rafah, rejected any attack and warned that it may be a fatal blow to relations between the two nations.

Authorities in Cairo fear an avalanche of Palestinian refugees and have repeatedly accused Israel of planning a forced displacement of hundreds of thousands of Gazans.

The Walla news portal reported this week that the Israeli Army is preparing for the offensive. The Israel Defense Forces “are preparing for a significant entry into Rafah,” and have raised their readiness level in preparation for extensive ground activity in the city, which includes instructions and exercises among the commanders who will lead the operation, the source detailed.

Various UN agencies, non-governmental organizations and numerous countries, including allies of Israel, have criticized on several occasions a possible military offensive against the city due to the serious humanitarian consequences for the Palestinian population in the enclave, which has remained under fire for 195 days.

According to the UN, the situation in Rafah is catastrophic due to the lack of food, water, medicine, and other vital products, added to overcrowding, lack of hygienic conditions, and systematic Israeli air attacks.

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