From now on, attrition tactics
Israel Army: 900 terrorists killed in Rafah
03.07.2024, 05:35
The Israeli army is facing a change of strategy in its offensive in Rafah: after the death of 900 terrorists, the last Hamas battalions are about to be destroyed. The aim is then to destroy the infrastructure and switch to a tactic of attrition.
After the fierce fighting against the last major Hamas units in the south of the Gaza Strip, Israel’s armed forces want to destroy the Islamists’ infrastructure. The military claims to have killed over 900 terrorists in the Rafah offensive – “including at least one battalion commander, many company commanders and numerous fighters,” said Chief of General Staff Herzi Halevi during a visit to troops at the Kerem Shalom border crossing.
“We are now concentrating on destroying the terrorist infrastructure, which takes time,” said Halevi. “It is a long operation because we do not want to leave Rafah with an intact terrorist infrastructure.” In the next phase, the Israeli forces would change their tactics, the Chief of Staff announced. The aim is to wear down the enemy and complete the mission. “We need willpower, patience and perseverance, then the results will speak for themselves in the future,” said Halevi.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously announced that the last major Hamas fighting units in the south of the Gaza Strip would soon be destroyed. This could at least end the large-scale ground offensive in the sealed-off coastal strip. But that would not necessarily mean an end to the military operation. Netanyahu and senior military officials have already announced several times that Israeli troops would remain at strategic locations in the Gaza Strip even after the phase of intensive fighting.
Hamas authority reports 31 dead
According to Palestinian sources, at least 31 people have been killed in Israeli attacks on targets in the Gaza Strip. In the city of Gaza alone, 17 Palestinians were killed, according to medical sources. This information could not be independently verified. Eight people were reportedly killed in attacks in the south of the coastal region.
The Israeli armed forces had previously announced that they had attacked targets in the Gaza Strip after rockets had been fired at Israeli towns. Residents of the eastern districts of the city of Khan Yunis had been asked to leave the area. The terrorist organization Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack on Israeli border towns with around 20 rockets. The army also said it continued fighting elsewhere in the Gaza Strip. The military reported the death of two soldiers in action. Another soldier was also seriously injured.
According to the Hamas-controlled health authority, almost 38,000 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip and more than 87,000 injured since the war began. The figures, which are difficult to verify independently, do not distinguish between civilians and fighters. The war was triggered by the unprecedented massacre with more than 1,200 deaths that terrorists from Hamas and other groups carried out in Israel on October 7.