Jerusalem, Feb. 9 -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Friday instructed the army to prepare a plan for a ground operation in Rafah, the southernmost Gazan city, where over half of the 2.3 million Gaza residents fled due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

He said a powerful ground operation is needed to "eliminate" Hamas militants who are still holed up in southern Gaza, but the population should be allowed to evacuate in advance.

The remarks came after U.S. President Joe Biden criticised Israel's retaliatory offensive in Gaza while warning of a high death toll among Palestinian civilians if Israeli ground troops push deeper into Rafah.

Earlier on Friday, Israel launched more deadly airstrikes on Gaza, killing 15 people, inc...