During their ongoing offensive in Rafah, located in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, the Israeli armed forces have reported the deaths of over 900 terrorists.
Among those killed were "at least one battalion commander, many company commanders, and numerous fighters," stated Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi on Tuesday while visiting troops at the Kerem Shalom border crossing.
Halevi stated taht the army’s current focus on destroying the terrorist infrastructure in Rafah.
"It is a long operation because we do not want to leave Rafah with an intact terrorist infrastructure," added Halevi, as reported by Die Presse.
In the next phase, the Israeli forces will 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 the Chief of Staff.
Netanyahu Promises End to Ground Offensive
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously announced that the last major fighting units of the Islamist Hamas 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.
