SETH J. FRANTZMAN
Over the last month, the IDF has cemented the defeat of the Rafah Brigade of Hamas. This is an important achievement and an example of how difficult defeating the terrorist group has become.
Rafah could be seen as a microcosm of the challenges in Gaza in general. This raises many questions, including what may come after Rafah.
Rafah was initially a challenge because of opposition from the international community to an Israeli operation in an area where around a million people were sheltering. Once people were evacuated and the international community was placated, Israel was able to proceed in the city and its border area.
The operation was daunting. Hamas had apparently used the Rafah border crossing to bring in weapons and material that it used to fuel its war machine. It had up to 36 kilometers of tunnels under the city and in nearby areas, connecting it to Tel al-Sultan and Khan Yunis. The operation’s delay allowed Hamas to festoon the area with booby traps.
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