Situation at a glance - Israel's military wants to destroy terror infrastructure in Rafah
Israel's military intends to destroy Hamas infrastructure in Gaza after intense fighting against larger Hamas units in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. According to the military's own statements, over 900 terrorists were reportedly killed during the offensive in Rafah, including at least one battalion commander, many company commanders, and numerous fighters, as stated by Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi during a troop visit at the Kerem Shalom crossing on Tuesday. These statements were initially unverifiable.
"We are now focusing on destroying the terrorist infrastructure, which takes time," Halevi said. "We will not leave Rafah with an intact terrorist infrastructure."
In the next phase, the Israeli military plans to change its tactics, Halevi announced. The goal is to wear down the enemy and complete the mission. "We need determination, patience, and endurance," Halevi said. "The results will speak for themselves in the future."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously hinted that the larger Hamas combat formations in the southern part of the Gaza Strip would soon be dismantled. With this, the large-scale ground offensive in the restricted coastal strip could potentially come to an end. However, this would not necessarily mean the end of the military operation. Netanyahu and high-ranking military officials had already announced several times that Israeli troops would remain in strategic locations in the Gaza Strip even after the phase of intense fighting.
Palestinians: Deaths in Gaza Strip
According to Palestinian reports, at least 31 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip. Seventeen Palestinians reportedly died in the city of Gaza, according to medical sources. These reports could not be independently verified at first. Eight people were reportedly killed in southern Gaza.
The Israeli military had previously announced that they had targeted sites in the Gaza Strip in response to rocket fire on Israeli settlements. Residents of eastern neighborhoods in the city of Khan Younis were reportedly evacuated beforehand. The terrorist organization Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack on Israeli border installations with around 20 rockets. The fighting continued in other parts of the Gaza Strip, according to the army's own statements. The military reported the deaths of two soldiers in the line of duty and the serious injury of another soldier.
According to the health authority controlled by Hamas, nearly 38,000 people have been killed and over 87,000 others injured in the Gaza Strip since the war began. These reports cannot be independently verified. The cause of the war was the unprecedented massacre committed by terrorists from Hamas and other groups in Israel on October 7, which resulted in over 1,200 deaths.
- The future of the Gaza Strip hinges on the outcome of the ongoing conflicts between Israel's military and Islamist groups like Hamas.
- Kerem Shalom, a major border crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip, was visited by Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi to brief troops on the recent intense fighting.
- Despite the reported deaths of over 900 terrorists, including high-ranking commanders, the Israeli military continues its mission to destroy Hamas' terrorist infrastructure in the Gaza Strip.
- Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, has indicated that the larger Hamas combat formations in the southern part of the Gaza Strip might be dismantled, but this does not mean an end to the military operation.
- The Israeli military has been targeting sites in the Gaza Strip as a response to rocket fire from groups like Palestinian Islamic Jihad, causing civilian casualties and reports of retaliatory attacks.
- The Gaza Strip has been a site of conflict for years, with nearly 38,000 people reportedly killed and over 87,000 others injured, according to the health authority controlled by Hamas.
- The Israeli Armed Forces will need determination, patience, and endurance to wear down their enemy and complete their mission in the Gaza Strip, as announced by Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi.
