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Source: https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hyhoa11v1gx
Israel's Final Push Against Hamas Strongholds in Rafah
(Ynet News) Yoav Zitun - Three IDF brigades comprising infantry, armor and engineering units are advancing cautiously through Rafah's southern neighborhoods, moving deliberately to minimize risk to troops. Most of the Hamas fighters from Rafah are believed to have fled north. Currently, only dozens of operatives remain in the city as well as a small number of Palestinian families who are being evacuated in coordination with Israeli forces. After a year since the IDF first launched operations in Rafah, the city now lies largely in ruins, with small Hamas cells still hiding in undiscovered tunnels. "We cannot guarantee the security of [Israeli] residents in the western Negev without achieving the objective of dismantling Hamas's rule and its military forces," an IDF official said. The Rafah operation is being carried out largely by standing army units, as the IDF tries to limit reservist service to no more than two and a half months in 2025. Officials said regular units are operating at triple the intensity compared to previous years, yet commanders reported exceptionally high morale.