The Hamas Rafah brigade on the Philadelphi Corridor was "disbanded" by Israel, resulting in the death of approximately 2,000 terrorists.
Hamas tunnels along Philadephi Corridor have been neutralized by 80%, according to Israel.
The IDF dismantled Hamas' Rafah brigade on the Philadelphi Corridor in an effort to eliminate cross-border tunnels into Egypt.
The IDF announced that its troops in the 162nd Division had carried out "precise, intelligence-based, targeted operations in the Rafah area over the last few months" and "eliminated over 2,000 terrorists."
Hamas' tunnels on the strategic security corridor, which runs alongside the border with Egypt, have been mostly neutralized by Israeli forces, who destroyed approximately 8 miles of underground routes.
According to the Times of Israel, the Rafah brigade was viewed as one of Hamas' final remaining strongholds.
Gaza's south-western region, specifically the Tel al-Sultan area, remains a target for Israeli military operations, with tunnels being regularly discovered and destroyed in the vicinity of the Philadelphi Corridor.
In the Tel A-Sultan area, where an operation was launched a few weeks ago, the Commander of the Tel al-Sultan Battalion, Mahmoud Hamdan, and 250 other Hamas terrorists were killed.
The Philadelphi Corridor has emerged as a significant source of conflict as the U.S. seeks to negotiate a cease-fire deal with Qatar and Egypt's assistance, between Israel and Hamas.
Negotiations between Hamas and Jerusalem have reached an impasse as Hamas refuses to agree to any cease-fire terms while Israeli forces remain in the security corridor in Gaza. Meanwhile, Jerusalem rejects any calls for it to vacate the corridor, citing security concerns from both existing Hamas terrorists in Gaza and threats from the Sinai Peninsula.
The release of all hostages held by Hamas is a top priority for Israel, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has emphasized the growing concern that they could be smuggled out of Gaza and into the hands of the Iranians through the Sinai Peninsula.
The 162nd Division, led by Brig. Gen. Itzik Cohen, discovered 203 connected tunnels in the Philadelphi Corridor, with nine of them crossing into Egypt.
The commander pointed out that all nine tunnels were disabled before the IDF soldiers discovered them, either by Egyptian or Hamas forces.
The remaining tunnels are currently being investigated and will be neutralized once all searches are complete.
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