Lashed by the rain and fearful of Israeli bombs, Palestinian civilians headed out of sodden tented camps or family homes in Rafah on Monday to seek refuge elsewhere in the Gaza Strip ahead of an expected Israeli army offensive.

Some loaded children and possessions onto donkey carts, some packed into cars, and others simply walked. The roof of at least one car was piled high with mattresses. Another had a wheelchair stowed in the boot.

The question on people’s minds was where could they go. Many had already relocated at least once during the seven-month Israeli assault on Gaza. Much of the coastal enclave has been turned into a wasteland of bombed-out buildings.

“The Israeli occupation told people to go to Rafah and that it is a safe area. Today, they’re telling us to get out of Rafah. Where will the people go?” said one man, Abu Ahmed. He was speaking in a displaced persons camp.

Israel ordered Palestinians to evacuate parts of Rafah early on Monday.

The Israeli military told them they should relocate to what it called an “expanded humanitarian zone” 20 km away. Even as people began packing up and moving out, explosions were heard from air strikes on eastern Rafah, the smoke and dust providing an eerie backdrop to the forced evacuation.

“We have been awake since two in the morning because of the bombardment, and we woke up in the morning to find rain pouring, we drowned in the rain, our clothes and items as well — we are out on the streets,” said camp resident Aminah Adwan.