Contrary to Israeli claims, Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar is not hiding in Rafah, according to two officials familiar with the matter who spoke to Times of Israel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made targeting Hamas leadership a top priority, with Sinwar and his deputy, Mohammed Deif, remaining elusive despite repeated claims of being close to capture. Recent intelligence suggests Sinwar may be in underground tunnels in the Khan Younis area, five miles north of Rafah.
The IDF has had success killing senior commanders, including Marwan Issa, but Sinwar’s whereabouts remain uncertain. Israel aims to destroy Hamas, with eliminating Sinwar a key element.
IDF ground forces began operating in Rafah last Monday, targeting the Gaza side of the border crossing with Egypt. The security cabinet approved a measured expansion of the operation, aimed at remaining within Washington’s acceptable scope. US President Joe Biden warned of withholding offensive weapons if Israel proceeds with a major ground offensive in Rafah, where over one million Palestinians are sheltering.
Netanyahu has pledged a major offensive, arguing it’s essential for defeating Hamas, which has four active battalions in the city. However, many Hamas fighters have reportedly fled northward as Israeli threats intensified. While 18 of Hamas’ 24 battalions have been dismantled, fighters have regrouped and returned to previously cleared areas.
The IDF faces challenges in Gaza City, with security officials warning of an ongoing cat-and-mouse game with Hamas until a viable alternative to Hamas rule is established. Netanyahu has rejected the idea of Palestinian Authority involvement, and his far-right allies push for permanent occupation and settlement re-establishment.
Without a diplomatic strategy, IDF achievements have been short-lived, an Israeli official said.
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In other words, despite [or because] of their big talk of כחי ועצם ידי the IDF achieved NOTHING! אם ה’ לא ישמור עיר שוא שקד שומר and for this you need the Zchus of tens of thousands bochrim and avreichim learning UNDISTURBED!