Hamas’ Rafah Brigade is dismantled, 80% of Philadelphi tunnels are destroyed, IDF announces

After three months of intense fighting, the IDF announced on Friday that the Rafah Brigade of Hamas is now defeated and dismantled, with over 2,000 terrorists eliminated.

Army Radio reported that Israeli forces found only nine tunnels that crossed into Egypt, all of them being closed off before the IDF arrived.

According to the IDF’s statement, the 162nd Division destroyed 13 kilometers (about 8 miles) of underground tunnels and shafts and around 80% of all tunnels near or under the Philadelphi Corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border.

“The divisional engineering forces and the Yahalom [combat engineering commando] continue to locate and destroy underground routes and terrorist infrastructures in the area,” the IDF stated.

In the last three weeks, the IDF was focused on fighting in the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood, Hamas’ final stronghold in the area.

Battlegroups from the Nahal, Givati and 401st Armored Brigades fought alongside Yahalom and the Navy commando unit Shayetet 13, eliminating over 250 terrorists, including Hamas’ local battalion commander and most of the command chain.

According to Army Radio, the IDF reported the discovery of 203 interconnected tunnels, extending up to 300 meters (two-tenths of a mile) from the Egyptian border, with only nine crossing into Egypt.

The discovery was contrary to previous statements made by Israeli officials, for example, when Israeli Justice Ministry official Gilad Noam appeared at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in May, he noted “approximately 50 tunnels” crossing the border.

All of the tunnels crossing into Egypt were found to be either blocked or collapsed, with most extending only a short distance into Egyptian territory, Army Radio reported.

The IDF is completing preparations to be able to destroy all tunnels in or near the Philadelphi Corridor within 48 hours after the order is issued. Destroying the tunnels in Rafah will reportedly take approximately three weeks.

The report that no active smuggling tunnels were found in the Philadelphi Corridor came shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized the importance of Israel's presence there to prevent smuggling.

Army Radio reported that most of the underground smuggling occurred during Mohamed Morsi's presidency in Egypt from 2012 to 2013. This smuggling included large machinery that Hamas used to develop its weapons production facilities and engineering capabilities.

By the time Morsi was removed from power by current president Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi, and Egypt took measures to block most tunnels, Hamas already had significant capabilities while continuing smuggling overground, especially through the Rafah border crossing.