Could Israel’s Rafah Offensive End the War Soon?
The IDF is making progress in its offensive in Rafah, Hamas’s last major stronghold in Gaza. Knowing that rooting out Hamas in Rafah is crucial to its goal of erasing the terrorist threat, Israel has sent in ground troops, who have eliminated terrorist gunmen in close combat and destroyed Hamas infrastructure. On Monday, the IDF gave the citizens of Rafah an evacuation order to relocate them from the warzone to humanitarian zones, and about 50,000 Palestinians have since left the city.
The IDF took control of the key Rafah Crossing with Egypt Monday night. “Seizing the Rafah Crossing is a very significant step towards destroying the remaining military capabilities of Hamas, including the elimination of the four terrorist battalions in Rafah, and an important step to damage the governmental capabilities of Hamas,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The battle in Rafah is inevitably a bloody conflict because of what’s at stake. If the IDF can expel Hamas from the city, it will cripple the terrorists’ operations and provide Israel with the kind of increased security it has lacked since even before Hamas’s October 7 massacre. Meanwhile, Hamas is holding on for dear life. Israel remains committed to its goal of eliminating Hamas while minimizing collateral damage as much as possible. Taking the Rafah Crossing indicates great success for Israel, which we hope will lead to a near end for this war, with Israel triumphing over its terrorist enemies.
