ALBAWABA - The Israeli military verified on Saturday that Rafah in southern Gaza is completely surrounded and under control, and that the vital "Morag Corridor," which divides the southern portion of the Strip, has been completed.
The army's statement claims that soldiers from the 36th Division, including the 188th Armored Brigade and the prestigious Golani Brigade, have connected and fortified the Morag road, which is a crucial strategic axis that separates Khan Younis from Rafah.
The army stressed that the troops are still conducting combat operations, destroying both subterranean and above-ground facilities and focusing on Hamas terrorists. The military says it has killed scores of fighters and discovered tunnels the organization exploited in the last week alone.
The press release said, "The Morag axis will remain under Israeli control as operations persist to neutralize terrorist elements and destroy Hamas installations."
Once home to more than 200,000 Palestinians, the area around Rafah has been characterized as "virtually deserted," as a result of intense military operations and expulsion.
The attack was described as a sort of “complete annihilation” by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, which noted the extent of the devastation in once-thriving districts that make up around 20% of Gaza's entire geographical mass.
As international worries over the humanitarian toll and mass displacement increase, the occurrences represent a turning point in Israel's continuing military operation in Gaza.
