A day after Hamas's negotiating team left Cairo, Egypt, to consult with the movement's leadership on Israel's latest proposal for a cease-fire in Gaza and the release of prisoners, the Israeli military called on the residents of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip to move to "humanitarian zones."  In a statement, the Israeli authorities said that "the military is encouraging residents of the eastern part of Rafah to move to the expanded humanitarian zones", describing the civilian evacuation as temporary and "limited in scope."  The move is expected to affect "about 100,000 people for now", out of the 1.2 million who live in Rafah, most of whom have been displaced by the fighting.  The military also said that "the calls for temporary relocation to the humanitarian zone will be made via leaflets, text messages, phone calls and Arabic-language social media." The "humanitarian zone has been expanded to Al-Mawasi," about 10 kilometers from Rafah, where "field hospitals, tents and a growing supply of food, water, medicine and other items" have been set up, with the military saying that "this evacuation plan is designed to keep civilians out of harm's way." "The goal is to fight Hamas, not the people of Gaza," it added.  As Strike Looms, Will Talks Continue? As the civilian warnings were issued, mediators from Qatar, Egypt and the United States were expected to continue reaching out to both sides and the Hamas delegation was to return to Cairo to resume negotiations, which have been stymied by the Islamist group's demand that Israel end its military offensive in Gaza in exchange for the release of the captives. The head of the United States Central Intelligence Agency, William Burns, was also expected to meet with Qatar's prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdelrahman Al Thani, to discuss indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas.  The political leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniya, accused Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, of "perpetually inventing excuses," like acts of "sabotage," to prolong the conflict. He said that he remained interested in reaching a "comprehensive and interconnected agreement" to end the war with Israel, but insisted that any deal must also include an immediate cease-fire and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.  The conflict began on Oct. 7, when a Hamas attack in southern Israel killed nearly 1,200 people, most of them civilians. The Islamist movement took more than 250 captives, 128 of whom remain in Hamas custody in Gaza and 35 of whom are believed by Israel to have died.  In response, Israel vowed to destroy Hamas and began a major offensive in Gaza that has killed more than 34,600 people, most of them civilians, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza. Hamas is considered a terrorist organization by many countries, including Israel, the United States and the European Union.  Related: Israeli Strike on Rafah Kills 16 Members of Two Families (Portuguese version)