He added that he had eliminated senior leaders, including brigade and battalion commanders and company commanders, in addition to destroying thousands of targets of armed factions.
Dismantling half of Hamas’s power
Last June, the Israeli army announced the dismantling of about half of Hamas’s combat force in Rafah, which was the height of the confrontations, by targeting no less than 550 Hamas militants.
The Jerusalem Post estimated that the army’s 162nd Division in Rafah eliminated half of Hamas’s battalions, destroyed about 200 tunnel openings, and eliminated the movement’s last large stockpile of rockets.
The army said that many Hamas members were killed in raids on buildings and tunnels, while an unknown number of the movement’s supporters fled the Rafah area after the start of the military operation.
He pointed out that at least 25 long tunnels had been identified, some of which were likely used by Hamas to smuggle weapons.
Netanyahu vows to increase pressure
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Tuesday to “increase the pressure” on Hamas after a series of escalating strikes on the Gaza Strip over the past nine months of war.
“This is precisely the time to increase the pressure even more, to return all the hostages – living and dead – to their homeland and to achieve all the goals of the war,” Netanyahu said in a speech during an official ceremony, repeating, “We will increase the pressure on Hamas.”
He added, “Hamas is under increasing pressure because we are harming it and eliminating its senior leaders and thousands of its terrorists. It is under pressure because we are steadfast in our just demands despite all the pressures exerted on us.”
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