The Israel Defense Forces on Sunday disclosed details of the 36th Division’s extensive week-long operations within the Gaza Strip. The IDF stated the division’s objective was to encircle Gaza City for a targeted offensive against Hamas, aiming to dismantle its assets and command centers.

Comprising infantry, tanks, artillery units, and combat engineers, the 36th Division has executed strikes on over 1,600 Hamas targets. These targets included the group’s infrastructure, weapon storage facilities, anti-tank missile launch sites, and surveillance posts.

The IDF reported a substantial impact on Hamas’s operational capabilities, with more than 300 of its members eliminated during the military maneuvers. In the final hours alone, IDF forces struck 50 Hamas locations and engaged in direct combat with several of the group’s gunmen.

A cautious advancement strategy was adopted by the division to ensure thorough clearance of threats, such as the extensive network of tunnels used by Hamas militants for surprise attacks and ambushes. These tunnels, which pose a significant risk with adversaries attacking armored vehicles and Israeli troops, are being systematically destroyed.

Despite the challenges, the IDF says it has observed a noticeable decline in Hamas’s ability to organize large-scale assaults, especially after the elimination of several of its senior field commanders through Israeli airstrikes. In response to close-range threats, the IDF has employed heavy artillery, some instances occurring perilously close to Israeli soldiers, to suppress Hamas fighters.

The IDF has also developed tactics to neutralize militants within the tunnel systems and adapted to counter the threat of drones used by Hamas to drop explosives.

Significantly, since the 36th Division’s intervention, there have been no rocket attacks from the conquered territories.

With a view towards a protracted ground campaign, the IDF is preparing for the possibility of an extended offensive to ensure the dismantlement of Hamas’s stronghold in Gaza City, aiming to minimize Israeli casualties.

The IDF’s ground offensive is expected to continue for several months as part of their comprehensive strategy to secure the area and neutralize the threat posed by Hamas.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)