Jerusalem: Israeli forces have concluded their operations in the Jabalia area of northern Gaza after days of intense fighting and over 200 airstrikes. They are now shifting their focus to Rafah in southern Gaza, aiming to dismantle what they identify as the last major stronghold of Hamas battalions.
According to the Israeli military, troops discovered caches of rocket launchers, weapons, and Hamas tunnel networks in central Rafah. This offensive is part of a broader strategy to dismantle militant combat units entrenched in the city, situated along the border with Egypt.
While providing an update on the intense fighting in Jabalia spanning over two weeks, the Israeli military announced the completion of their operation in the area. They have withdrawn to prepare for further operations within Gaza.
During the Jabalia operation, Israeli troops recovered the bodies of seven hostages out of the 250 abducted by Hamas-led militants during a border incursion on October 7 last year. Israeli tallies suggest that approximately 1,200 people were killed during the incident.
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Since then, over 36,000 Palestinians have lost their lives in Israel’s air and land campaign in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The conflict has left much of the densely populated enclave in ruins.
A senior Israeli security official emphasized that Israel will not agree to a ceasefire unless it includes the return of surviving hostages. This stance comes in response to Hamas indicating readiness for a ceasefire, contingent upon Israel halting its military operations.
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In Jabalia, a densely populated urban area primarily housing refugees from Israel’s founding war in 1948, Hamas transformed civilian areas into fortified combat zones, according to the Israeli military. Troops engaged in close-quarter combat and neutralized hundreds of militants, seizing significant weapon caches and dismantling rocket launchers.
Despite the intense combat, Jabalia remains a challenge for Israeli forces, highlighting the difficulty in eradicating Hamas units. Previous military efforts in the area, including the elimination of Hamas commanders, have not yielded lasting results.
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The ongoing conflict in Rafah has also drawn attention, with Israeli forces conducting probing operations in the city. They have uncovered longer-range rockets and various weapons as part of intelligence-based activities. Rafah, situated along Gaza’s border with Egypt, remains a key battleground in the current war.
As the conflict persists and Gaza’s infrastructure sustains significant damage, malnutrition is spreading among the population, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region.
