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Source: https://jiss.org.il/en/siboni-israel-must-go-ahead-with-an-operation-in-rafah/
Israel Must Go Ahead with an Operation in Rafah
(Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security) Col. (res.) Prof. Gabi Siboni - The IDF is succeeding in systematically dismantling Hamas, although the fighting in Gaza is fierce and exacts painful costs. After more than four months of war, the IDF has taken control of northern Gaza and has full operational freedom of action in the area. Progress has also been made in Khan Yunis, where the IDF is eliminating terrorists and destroying their infrastructure. Hamas is deeply embedded in the population of Gaza. Hamas terrorists receive support and assistance from the population. Gaza has seen the emergence of a generation whose sole goal is to kill and exterminate Jews. In the face of this resistance, the IDF is advancing methodically and systematically. Israel's prime minister has said on several occasions that this war will not end until the IDF operates in Rafah and takes over the border between Gaza and Egypt - the Philadelphi Corridor. The operation in Rafah is necessary and inevitable. Rafah is Hamas' last organized stronghold, and the elimination of Hamas' military capabilities will not be achieved without the destruction of the battalions stationed there. Israel must remove Hamas' governmental capabilities in this area. Moreover, in order to free hostages, it is essential to reach the areas where they are held. Israeli communities in areas opposite Rafah will not return to their homes if operational Hamas battalions are on the other side of the border. Finally, weapons still enter Gaza through a network of tunnels under the Philadelphi Corridor. The IDF will have to eliminate this smuggling route. The writer was director of the military and strategic affairs program, and the cyber research program, of the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) from 2006-2020.