Hundreds of Thousands Flee Rafah Ahead of 'Morag Corridor' Establishment | Gazans: "Rafah is Gone, Erased"

As throughout the war, Reuters covered the Gaza tragedy today (Thursday) specifically from the civilian perspective, if such a concept even exists.

According to testimonies coming from the terror city, the Israeli warning last night and evacuation notices issued for the Rafah area have had their effect, as hundreds of thousands began leaving Rafah in accordance with the instructions.

The news agency said this is one of the largest displacements since the beginning of the war, and perhaps the last straw for Gaza.

While Israel continues to strike the Hamas enemy, Hamas's Health Ministry said 97 people were killed in the Strip, without distinguishing between terrorists and civilians.

One Gazan who lamented Gaza's situation described it saying, "Rafah is gone. It has simply been erased." The Gazan added that "they are bringing down what remains standing of homes and property."

Another Gazan said they have nothing left. "Do we have anything left? We have nothing left. They're killing us in our sleep," he told Reuters.

According to reports in Gaza, in the last 24 hours, one of the commanders in Hamas's Khan Yunis Brigade, Ahmed Abu Daqqa, who participated in the October 7 attack, was eliminated in the Bani Suhaila area.

Meanwhile, and until the hostages are returned, Israel continues operations to capture the Strip and annex additional territories for a buffer zone.

Residents in Rafah testified to Reuters that most residents complied with evacuation orders after seeing the beginning of the bombings.

"Others stayed because they don't know where to go, or they're tired of being displaced multiple times. We fear they may be killed or at best arrested," said one Gazan.

Morag Corridor

Last night, Prime Minister Netanyahu announced the capture of a new corridor: the Morag corridor. The Morag corridor runs between Khan Yunis and Rafah, the two main terror cities in the southern Gaza Strip.

The goal is to apply additional pressure on Hamas and its terror infrastructure. Prime Minister Netanyahu referred to the corridor last night as the "new Philadelphi corridor," meaning that Israel will not give up control of it just as it has not given up control of Philadelphi so far, despite the hostage deal.

"Tonight in the Gaza Strip we've shifted gears. The IDF is capturing territory, striking terrorists, destroying infrastructure," Netanyahu said.

"And we're doing something else - we're capturing the 'Morag corridor.' This will be the second Philadelphi, an additional Philadelphi corridor. Because we are now dividing the Strip and we are adding pressure step by step, so they will give us our hostages. And the more they don't give, the more the pressure will increase until they do," the Prime Minister said.

"We are determined to achieve the war's objectives, and we are working tirelessly, with a clear line and a clear mission. And with God's help and the help of our heroic soldiers - we will achieve it," Netanyahu said.