Tel Aviv/Gaza, 21 August 2024 (dpa/MIA) - Israel has defeated the Hamas brigade in the Rafah area in the southern Gaza Strip, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant claimed on Wednesday during a visit to the border area between Gaza and Egypt.

"The [Hamas] Rafah brigade has been defeated, and over 150 tunnels have been destroyed in the region,” he said. He had instructed the troops to concentrate on destroying the remaining tunnels on the border between the coastal strip and Egypt in the coming period.

Israel had advanced to Rafah in May, despite massive international criticism, in order to destroy the remaining forces of the Palestinian Islamist terrorist organization there. An estimated 1 million refugees had crowded into the city, but have since left.

The Israeli troops also captured the Rafah border crossing to Egypt, known as the Philadelphi Corridor. This 14-kilometres-long area is considered one of the biggest points of contention in the negotiations for a Gaza ceasefire.

Hamas is demanding Israel's complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on the other hand, insists that Israel must continue to control the corridor even after a ceasefire in order to prevent weapons smuggling.

Photo: dpa