Ensure Israeli Military Increases Troops In Rafah, Defense Minister Gallant: This Operation Will Be More Intensive

Defense Minister Gallant met with the Israeli military in Gaza. (Source: Ministry of Defense/Shachar Yurman)

JAKARTA - Defense Minister Yoav Gallant confirmed Israel would deploy more of its military to Rafah in southern Gaza, while operations against the Hamas militant group resumed after conducting a review of the Gaza border, near Rafah.

"This operation will continue with additional troops coming in there," Gallant said in a statement given by his office.

"Some of the tunnels in the area have been destroyed by our troops and more tunnels will soon be destroyed."

Last night, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) deployed the Command Brigade to Rafah, to join the Givati Brigade and 401 Brigade from Division 162 which had been there since earlier this month.

"This operation will be more intensive and Hamas is not an organization that can regenerate itself now. They have no reserves, have no ability to make weapons, have no supplies, have no ammunition, have no ability to properly care for injured terrorists, and this means that we are weakening them," added Defense Minister Gallant.

The IDF itself hopes that the Israeli government will approve the expansion of the attack on Rafah, as has been done so far in stages.

On Thursday, IDF international spokesman Colonel Nadav Shoshani said at a press conference, operations in the eastern part of Rafah that began ten days ago were still "limited to space and targets."

"We operate in certain places according to our intelligence information, and where we know Hamas is hiding," Colonel Shoshani said, quoted by CNN.

He explained that the operation was aimed at finding the tunnels operated by Hamas and had found "various types of ammunition," including an anti-tank mission.