Hamas’s Rafah Brigade Eliminated, 80% of Tunnels in Philadelphi Route Destroyed

August 30, 2024

by: Yoav Zitun ~ Ynetnews

Friday, 30 August 2024 | The IDF [Israel Defense Forces] announced on Thursday that Hamas’s Rafah Brigade had been decimated, with 80% of the tunnels along the Philadelphi Route destroyed.

This announcement comes about a week after Defense Minister Yoav Gallant declared that the Rafah Brigade had been defeated and that the military had destroyed 150 tunnels in the area.

The collapse of the Rafah Brigade was discussed during a situation assessment by Southern Command Chief Major General Yaron Finkelman. The 162nd Division, which includes the 401st Brigade, is operating in Rafah, while the Nahal Brigade is encircling the city’s western neighborhoods. According to the IDF, terrorists are attempting to flee northward from Rafah toward the Mawasi area.

The IDF also confirmed that Qaid Farhan Alkadi, a hostage rescued from a tunnel, had been held by terrorists in the tunnel for 12 to 24 hours before his rescue. IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari confirmed that Farhan was rescued from deep within Rafah.

“I was thinking of you yesterday, feeling emotional. I’m in the heart of Rafah, rescuing a live hostage from a tunnel, and I discover it’s Farhan from Rahat,” he said in a conversation with Colonel (retired) Edom, the reconnaissance officer of the 162nd Division.

Meanwhile, the IDF continues operations in the West Bank [Judea and Samaria]. The military emphasized that, unlike in Gaza, there has been no evacuation of civilians, and Jenin remains the “head of the snake.” One of the key objectives of the operation is addressing the threat of explosives. The IDF noted that powerful devices, similar to those used in the recent Tel Aviv attack, have been found. The military also stated that Iran is doing everything it can to ignite the war.

The IDF pointed out that Palestinian security forces continue to coordinate with the Israeli military, to maintain operational freedom in the northern West Bank and ensure a continuous and steady pace of operations.

Posted on August 30, 2024

Source: (This article was originally published by Ynetnews on August 29, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: IDF Spokesperson's Unit photographer/Wikimedia.org

Photo License: Wikimedia