(NewsNation) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the Israeli army to develop an evacuation plan before an attack on Rafah – Gaza’s southernmost city – widely considered Hamas’ last stronghold.

But given the extent to which Rafah has grown in the months since Israel-Hamas war Evacuating more than a million people would be a massive undertaking.

The White House reiterates its call for a security plan to be drawn up for the nearly 1.5 million Palestinian civilians living in Rafah. National security spokesman John Kirby said Tuesday that precautions for the well-being of civilians must be taken before a possible attack.

The US concerns come after Israeli airstrikes almost 100 people killed in Rafah earlier this week when several parts of the city came under fire.

Kirby said Monday President Joe Biden is confident that Israel has heard U.S. concerns “loud and clear.” On Tuesday, Kirby again called for civilian safety to be given top priority.

“Any credible (security) plan would have to take into account the physical movement of civilians, safe movement, as well as an appropriate substance for them – food, water, medicine, access to health care – and be able to stay together as family units,” said Kirby.

Where is Rafah?

Located in North Sinai, Rafah is the only border crossing between Gaza and Egypt and remains the only way in and out of Gaza.

The city lies along an 8-mile-long fence that separates Gaza and the Sinai Desert and is currently the only route in and out of Gaza.

Who controls Rafah?

Rafah came under Egyptian control in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and was captured by Israel in the 1967 war. After Israel withdrew its troops there in 2005, Israel and Egypt retained control of their respective borders with the city and Israel restricted sea and air traffic. National Public Radio reported.

The blockade was tightened in early October following the attack on Israel in which Hamas militants killed 1,400 people and took an estimated 240 hostages.

Hamas took over the city in 2007 when the European Union, working closely with Egyptian officials, took control of the Rafah border crossing. According to CNN, between 2005 and 2007, approximately 450,000 passengers used the crossing, with approximately 1,500 people using the crossing daily.

During non-war times, Rafah is used by Palestinians who need to enter Egypt for medical care and personal reasons.

However, since the border has been more tightly controlled, getting in and out of Gaza – including for those trying to deliver humanitarian aid – has become much more difficult, NPR reported. The strict border closures would make it nearly impossible for civilians to move further south than they already have to to escape the war, officials said.

How many people live there?

Normally the city has around 300,000 inhabitants. But since the war began in early October, Rafah’s population has grown to almost 1.5 million, many of whom live in tents. Israel has ordered Palestinians to seek refuge in Rafah because it is safe there.

Many of the Hamas fighters living in Rafah are civilians, who make up more than half of Gaza’s population. Many of those who arrived there did so to escape the fighting. Since their arrival, many of those who have sought refuge in Rafah have not received humanitarian assistance due to the closure of the borders with Gaza Wall Street Journal reported.

Calls for evacuation

Amid fears that a ground attack could be disastrous given the estimated 600,000 children currently living in Rafah, the United States and European countries are joining Israel’s prime minister in calling for the city’s evacuation.

A ground attack on Rafah had been predicted for months after Netanyahu declared that Israel’s attacks would continue until the country achieved a “total victory,” which would include the destruction of Hamas.

Last week, Netanyahu again called for the evacuation of civilians to achieve victory.

“It is impossible to achieve the war’s goal of eliminating Hamas by leaving four Hamas battalions in Rafah,” Netanyahu’s office said Vox.