Biden warns Netanyahu against Rafah invasion as Israel prepares for action

President Biden called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu connected Monday to pass him against moving connected the Gaza metropolis of Rafah.

The president reportedly warned Netanyahu against continuing with plans to invade Rafah, the past stronghold of Hamas successful the region.

The 2 satellite leaders reportedly spoke for astir 30 minutes, during which Biden raised the contented of the much than 1.5 cardinal Palestinians presently surviving successful Rafah.

ISRAEL URGES PALESTINIANS TO EVACUATE RAFAH AHEAD OF EXPECTED GROUND OPERATION IN HAMAS STRONGHOLD

Biden speaks astatine an lawsuit adjacent the Edmund Pettus Bridge successful Selma, Alabama. (Cheney Orr/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"The president doesn’t privation to spot operations successful Rafah that enactment astatine greater hazard the much than a cardinal radical that are seeking refuge there," said White House nationalist information spokesperson John Kirby.

Earlier successful the day, Israel’s Defense Forces ordered an evacuation of Rafah, signaling that a long-promised crushed cognition could beryllium imminent. 

The Israeli service has described Rafah arsenic the past important Hamas stronghold aft 7 months of war, and its leaders person repeatedly said clearing Rafah is indispensable to decision the Islamic militant group.

ISRAELI TROOPS GAIN OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF GAZAN SIDE OF RAFAH CROSSING, IDF SAYS

Israeli service warns Palestinians to evacuate Rafah with brochures anterior to the army's onshore assault, urging them to caput westbound successful Rafah, Gaza. (Abed Rahim Khatib/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Overnight, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin that Israel was near with nary prime but to enactment successful Rafah aft Hamas terrorists carried retired a deadly rocket onslaught from Rafah earlier successful the time that near 4 Israeli soldiers dead.

The Israeli Defense Forces has begun conducting what it describes arsenic "targeted strikes" against Hamas operatives successful eastbound Rafah, a metropolis located successful the confederate Gaza Strip wherever much than 1 cardinal civilians from different parts of Gaza are sheltering. 

IDF spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said craft struck much than 50 violent targets successful Rafah amid the evacuation of residents successful the country and the enlargement of the humanitarian country successful Al-Mawasi and Khan Yunis. 

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a property league successful the Kirya subject basal successful Tel Aviv amid ongoing battles betwixt Israel and the Palestinian panic radical Hamas. (ABIR SULTAN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

The war successful Gaza has driven astir 80% of the territory's colonisation of 2.3 cardinal from their homes and caused immense demolition passim respective cities. 

The decease toll successful Gaza has soared to much than 34,500 radical — per estimates from Gaza's Hamas-run Health Ministry, which does not separate betwixt civilians and combatants. 

The warfare began Oct. 7 erstwhile Hamas attacked confederate Israel, sidesplitting astir 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting astir 250 others. Israel says militants inactive clasp astir 100 hostages and the remains of much than 30 others.

Fox News Digital's Lawrence Richard and Bradford Betz contributed to this report.