IDF Claims Control of 70% of Rafah in Gaza, Hamas’s Operations Disrupted

By Yoni Weiss

After a month and a half of operations in Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost city, the IDF announced on Friday that they have taken control of approximately 70% of the area. The IDF reported that Hamas’s operational structures have been destroyed.

Hamas is said to have shifted from organized, hierarchical fighting to guerrilla warfare in small squads. While the Hamas Rafah Brigade has not been completely eliminated, a senior officer noted, “It is not certain that if one gives orders, there will be anyone who receives them.”

The Brigade is estimated to have around 3,000 members. Since the beginning of the maneuver in Rafah, the IDF has identified about 550 terrorist bodies in the area, with many others fleeing north.

Hamas is attempting to re-establish its hierarchy and maintain control in the areas where the IDF has not yet operated, with two battalions remaining in those regions.

The slow pace of fighting in Rafah is primarily due to the vast amounts of ammunition and explosives in the area. Additionally, building collapses following explosions have caused casualties among fighters. “There are explosive materials that we have never seen before, both in quality and quantity,” admitted the 931st Battalion Commander.

Another factor slowing operations is the presence of hundreds of tunnel shafts and tunnels in the area. Troops have identified dozens of tunnels reaching the border with Egypt, and the Yahalom Unit is investigating this issue.

Fighting in Rafah is expected to continue for an extended period. According to sources on the ground, Israel is “moving to phase three” of the operation, and it could take months to defeat the terrorists in the area.

Optimistic estimates suggest that eliminating Hamas in Rafah will take another six months, while more pessimistic predictions indicate it could take up to 24 months.