“Victory [over Hamas] requires entering Rafah and eliminating the terrorist battalions there. This will happen. There is a date,” Netanyahu said in a video statement, which didn’t reveal the timing of the planned operation.
The premier has announced his authorization of IDF operational plans for Rafah at least four times over the past two months, but no offensive is anticipated in the immediate future, particularly after the IDF on Sunday withdrew entirely from Khan Younis, further shrinking its troop presence in Gaza. The IDF had roughly 30,000 troops in Gaza at the peak of the war and was down to several thousand even before the latest withdrawal — far fewer than the presence required to carry out a major ground invasion.
Four Hamas battalions are believed to be stationed in Rafah along with over a million civilians sheltering in the southernmost city after fleeing fighting in other parts of the Strip. Rafah is also thought to be where Hamas leaders are hidden, possibly along with Israeli hostages.
Plans to mount a major offensive there have drawn intense international opposition, including from the US. A video conference last week between US and Israeli officials to discuss a potential IDF ground operation in Rafah was reportedly marked by tensions and accusations as Washington expressed deep skepticism over Israeli plans to operate in the southernmost Gaza city. READ MORE
