Rafah – www.israelhayom.com https://www.israelhayom.com israelhayom english website Sun, 23 Nov 2025 09:00:26 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.2 https://www.israelhayom.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/cropped-G_rTskDu_400x400-32x32.jpg Rafah – www.israelhayom.com https://www.israelhayom.com 32 32 Will this anti-Hamas group topple it? https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/11/23/anti-hamas-militia-khan-younis-gaza/ https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/11/23/anti-hamas-militia-khan-younis-gaza/#respond Sun, 23 Nov 2025 04:48:33 +0000 https://www.israelhayom.com/?p=1104573 A former Fatah operative commands a new armed militia in Khan Younis openly challenging Hamas control, with video showing fighters chanting "Death to Hamas" as their commander calls the terror group "enemies of Islam," according to Palestinian sources.

The post Will this anti-Hamas group topple it? appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

]]>
A new armed faction functions in the Khan Younis region under direction of Shawqi Abu Nasira, a former Fatah security prisoner and Palestinian Authority official, Palestinian sources disclosed.

Abu Nasira served a lengthy prison term in the 1980s for terrorist operations. He fled from Nafha Prison and was recaptured after roughly a week and a half. After his release, he functioned as an official in the Palestinian Authority security apparatus following the Oslo Accords, ascending to a senior rank before retiring. Throughout the war, his son was reportedly killed, and Abu Nasira himself lately received threats from Hamas intelligence and internal security mechanisms.

In video footage distributed on social media, Abu Nasira spoke to a formation of approximately 20 armed combatants standing in line, stating, "Your dirtiest shoe is more honorable than the biggest fake in Hamas. I am Shawqi Abu Nasira, I don't want to talk about myself. Whoever catches a collaborator can kiss my ass. From the most senior in Hamas – Khalil al-Hayya – to the smallest operative."

Video: The anti-Hamas faction in the Gaza Strip / Credit: Social media

He then directed the combatants to shout aloud, "The dogs' barks don't frighten the lions. Death to Hamas! Death to Hamas!" Abu Nasira continued, "We left our families and homes to liberate the families and our people from Hamas, Persian Iran. Enemies of Islam and the Sunnis. Clear? You are not collaborators, you are the best of the people. Whoever told Hamas 'no' is a hero. It doesn't matter if it's me or someone else." In his words, "We, all the people, in Hamas' eyes are considered spies. Whoever says 'no' is a lion."

This constitutes another militia functioning in the Khan Younis region opposing Hamas. Additionally, the force of Husam al-Astal, a former Palestinian Authority intelligence official, functions there. Beyond this, at least three additional armed factions exist from northern Gaza to its south, the most prominent being Yasser Abu Shabab's Popular Forces in eastern Rafah.

Since the ceasefire in October, Hamas circles disseminated rumors asserting some militia members surrendered to them or were killed in firefights. Nevertheless, the rumors were refuted, including by Abu Shabab's faction.

In recent days, Yasser Abu Shabab's faction announced they are sustaining direct cooperation with the Peace Council as part of President Donald Trump's plan. Abu Shabab's deputy, Rasan al-Duhaini, proclaimed they would execute missions in Rafah against "illegal armed elements," apparently referring to Hamas, "in certain areas of Rafah."

Meanwhile, a Hamas source informed the Saudi channel Asharq on Sunday morning that a delegation from the terror organization is in Cairo to discuss arrangements for forming a management committee for the Gaza Strip. Per the source, discussions in Cairo are being conducted between senior Hamas officials and senior Egyptians, including other Palestinian organizations. Simultaneously, sources informed the Saudi channel Al-Hadath that a Hamas delegation reached Cairo to discuss details of the transition to the second phase of the ceasefire agreement.

The post Will this anti-Hamas group topple it? appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

]]>
https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/11/23/anti-hamas-militia-khan-younis-gaza/feed/
Israel's Rafah test could show path to toppling Hamas https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/11/11/israel-rafah-hamas-terrorists-besieged-tunnels-netanyahu-test/ https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/11/11/israel-rafah-hamas-terrorists-besieged-tunnels-netanyahu-test/#respond Tue, 11 Nov 2025 15:00:13 +0000 https://www.israelhayom.com/?p=1101819 Israel must insist on unconditional surrender of Hamas terrorists trapped in Rafah tunnel networks, as the outcome signals to Turkey, Qatar, Egypt and Washington whether Israel is determined to dismantle terror organizations or accepts superficial solutions. The tactical standoff carries strategic weight across multiple fronts, with regional powers watching closely how Netanyahu handles the besieged operatives. Time favors Israel in this underground siege that tests resolve to collapse Hamas capabilities.

The post Israel's Rafah test could show path to toppling Hamas appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

]]>
The debate over the fate of Hamas terrorists trapped in tunnel networks under IDF-controlled territory in Rafah may seem like a minor incident amid the constant flow of events, but its outcome could decisively shape how our enemies and regional states assess whether Israel is truly determined to dismantle its adversaries or can be appeased with superficial fixes.

Hamas' military wing made clear early this week that fighter surrender or weapons abandonment remain off the table. Mohammad Nazzal, a senior Hamas official abroad, rejected exile outside Gaza and urged mediators to intervene.

Hamas terrorists in the Shati refugee camp (AFP)

Turkey wasted no time seizing this as another diplomatic opportunity, with sources saying it is "working to ensure safe passage for approximately 200 'Gazan civilians' trapped in Rafah tunnels" – as if 200 civilians simply got stuck in underground passages.

The deteriorating relationship between Ankara and Jerusalem, sparked by Turkish arrest warrants and Israel's response, combined with Israeli opposition to Turkish participation in Gaza's multinational force, will feature in Jared Kushner's discussions with Netanyahu, though not as the central focus.

Washington's primary objective is stabilizing the ceasefire. Meeting this goal requires advancing to stage two of the Trump plan and generating implementation momentum. With everyone occupied by processes and mechanisms, reality on the ground will shift toward non-combat, enabling Trump to pursue his broader diplomatic ambitions.

From Israel's perspective, however, the ceasefire is not the end goal. Particularly not now, after recovering living hostages and most deceased remains. Eliminating enemy capabilities and removing weapons from the territory remain Israel's core objectives, which cannot be sacrificed to ceasefire demands or satisfied through cosmetic arrangements.

Furthermore, Israel's approach in Gaza will directly impact Hezbollah arrangements (and the reverse), leaving no room for creative half-measures that sound good but deliver nothing.

Even without this consideration, regional discourse is already showing such formulas emerging. Examples include attempts to limit disarmament definitions to offensive weapons only – excluding tunnels, personal arms, and other capabilities from discussion. Another involves establishing an "administrative committee" for civilian Gaza governance, supposedly without Hamas participation, when the terror group already influences personnel selection and will clearly control such governance as the Strip's dominant force.

Returning to the besieged in Rafah – their number remains unclear. Media reports citing Israeli sources estimate 150 to 200. Foreign press mentioned lower figures, while Hamas websites simply stated the military wing withholds information due to sensitivity, describing them as "Qassam elite" facing high risk "while contending with medical supply shortages, electricity deficits, and the need to secure tunnels after extensive war damage."

Hamas spokesmen have raised no claims about broken commitments on this matter. They frame the connection to recovering IDF soldier Hadar Goldin's remains through humanitarian considerations and stability interests.

A tunnel discovered by the IDF in June, 2024 (IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

Given these circumstances, Israel possesses every advantage to transform this incident into a powerful symbol of its Hamas dismantlement commitment. Time favors us here, and provided our forces can block attacks from the besieged or other directions, no rush exists. Regardless, this event's conclusion must be decisive – mass surrender, detention or terrorist deaths. Images and publicity carry value. This is how regimes fall. Exile, as some mediators suggest, while not inherently rejected, should only acceptable as a post-surrender, post-arrest step, never as a replacement.

A Al-Resalah Hamas website editorial characterized the besieged issue as testing Hamas' capacity for post-war challenges. "It combines military, diplomatic, and humanitarian aspects and conveys an important message to the Palestinian public and the world regarding Hamas's ability to protect its people and manage humanitarian crises, in an extremely complex environment and under international supervision." This equally tests Israeli determination, providing further reason Israel cannot accept any solution Hamas would claim as an achievement.

Meir Ben Shabbat is head of the Misgav Institute for National Security & Zionist Strategy, in Jerusalem. He served as Israel's national security advisor and head of the National Security Council between 2017 and 2021, and prior to that for 30 years in the General Security Service (the Shin Bet security agency or "Shabak").

The post Israel's Rafah test could show path to toppling Hamas appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

]]>
https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/11/11/israel-rafah-hamas-terrorists-besieged-tunnels-netanyahu-test/feed/
Israel, US agree on joint approach to trapped terrorists in Rafah https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/11/10/israel-us-agree-on-joint-approach-to-trapped-terrorists-in-rafah/ https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/11/10/israel-us-agree-on-joint-approach-to-trapped-terrorists-in-rafah/#respond Mon, 10 Nov 2025 16:39:36 +0000 https://www.israelhayom.com/?p=1101595 The meeting between White House adviser Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu focused almost entirely on the Gaza issue. The Americans want to begin talks on the second phase of the Trump plan, and remove the obstacle posed by the terrorists trapped in tunnels in southern Gaza. Netanyahu and […]

The post Israel, US agree on joint approach to trapped terrorists in Rafah appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

]]>
The meeting between White House adviser Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu focused almost entirely on the Gaza issue. The Americans want to begin talks on the second phase of the Trump plan, and remove the obstacle posed by the terrorists trapped in tunnels in southern Gaza.

Netanyahu and Kushner agreed that the issue would be resolved jointly, and that Israel would not take significant action without first informing Washington. In practical terms, this means that although Israel knows where the terrorists are hiding, it will refrain from striking the tunnel or killing them outright, in order to avoid endangering the fragile cease-fire. One of the possible solutions raised was to allow the trapped terrorists to emerge without their weapons into areas under Hamas control.

רה"מ נתניהו נפגש עם השליח האמריקני ג'ראד קושנר , חיים צח/ לע״מ
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with Jared Kushner. Photo: Haim Zach/GPO

Israel is insisting that the terrorists surrender their weapons, viewing that step as symbolic of Hamas's eventual disarmament. In indirect talks between the Americans and Hamas, this idea has been placed on the table. Hamas has not rejected it outright but has demanded that Israel completely halt all strikes. According to Arab reports, the number of terrorists still trapped in the tunnels is likely under 200, and possibly fewer than 100.

For Washington, resolving this issue is vital, as it represents a key obstacle to launching the second phase of the process. The meeting also touched on a second matter, the four hostages still held by terrorist organizations in Gaza, which are required to be returned under the Sharm el-Sheikh agreement.

פעילות צה"ל רפיח , דובר צה"ל
IDF operations in Rafah. Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit

Israel's position is that there will be no progress toward phase two, and even phase one, including reopening the Rafah crossing, will not be completed until all hostages are returned. Arab media reports claim that the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization holds two of the bodies and is refusing to release them without concessions. This information has not been confirmed by Israel. Israeli intelligence assessments indicate that Hamas could immediately return at least one body and a second within a short time, and that it knows the whereabouts of the other two but is deliberately delaying under the pretext of "searches" requiring heavy engineering equipment.

The discussion also addressed Israel's veto on any Turkish participation in the framework that will oversee Gaza as part of a future multinational force. Turkey has ignored this position and publicly claimed that it has already recruited a brigade of 2,000 soldiers for the mission, but Israel considers this a red line, with the Americans  accepting Israel's stance. The composition of the international force remains unclear, as—according to Israel Hayom's reporting—no countries besides Turkey have agreed to send troops into Hamas-controlled territory before the terrorist organization disarms.

Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to Emirati ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, confirmed this position in a speech at the Abu Dhabi Strategic Forum, saying: "The United Arab Emirates does not yet see a clear framework for the stabilization force. Under these circumstances, it is unlikely that we will participate in such a mission."

The post Israel, US agree on joint approach to trapped terrorists in Rafah appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

]]>
https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/11/10/israel-us-agree-on-joint-approach-to-trapped-terrorists-in-rafah/feed/
Hamas seeks to keep weapons – Israel sends warning https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/11/03/hamas-terrorists-demand-safe-passage-khan-younis-rafah-ceasefire/ https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/11/03/hamas-terrorists-demand-safe-passage-khan-younis-rafah-ceasefire/#respond Mon, 03 Nov 2025 15:00:06 +0000 https://www.israelhayom.com/?p=1099947 Hamas has demanded Israel allow 100 to 200 terrorists trapped in Khan Younis and Rafah tunnels to retain their weapons and receive Red Cross-escorted passage through Israeli-controlled territory, following the killing of three IDF soldiers during the ceasefire.

The post Hamas seeks to keep weapons – Israel sends warning appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

]]>
Israel's position firmly rejects permitting terrorists to transit from Khan Younis and Rafah deep in Israeli-held territory to Hamas areas. In contacts held in recent days, effectively since the IDF force attack and death of Master Sgt. Yona Efraim Feldbaum last week in Rafah, Hamas demanded passage of several dozen terrorists, between 100 and 200, back to its ranks.

These terrorists became trapped in tunnels in the two southern cities. They are surrounded but attempt periodically to attack IDF soldiers. Since the ceasefire started, they have succeeded in killing three soldiers and wounding others. The IDF has eliminated many attackers, but many others remain in the tunnels. At the beginning of contacts, Hamas demanded passage in its own vehicles that would enter IDF territory and be escorted by the Red Cross to prevent harm. Subsequently, it agreed they would be transferred in Red Cross vehicles but demanded they keep their weapons.

Israel Hayom revealed Israel demanded the terrorists leave their weapons behind. Additional conditions that were set included Hamas committing to halt the attacks and maintain the ceasefire. Most critically, Hamas would return all bodies of the kidnapped fallen soldiers, again as written in the Sharm agreement.

Hamas terrorists in the Shati refugee camp (AFP)

According to information Israel has, Hamas has access to nearly or all the bodies and is withholding their return to gain advantages in negotiations. Israel also demanded an update on progress implementing the second phase, which includes Hamas disarming. During the contacts, Israel has conveyed a clarification to Hamas that if the attacks don't cease, all these terrorists will be eliminated and buried beneath the tunnel rubble.

However, Hamas has refused the condition of leaving weapons behind, claimed it has no control or contact with the terrorists in question, and regarding the kidnapped fallen soldiers, continues to assert that extracting the bodies requires engineering tools it doesn't possess. This response, combined with public pressure in Israel, led to the prime minister's announcement at midday that he will not permit safe passage of 200 Hamas terrorists and continues his firm position of disarming Hamas and demilitarizing the Strip, while thwarting terror threats against our forces.

The significance is that the IDF is expected to intensify its operations in areas under its control against those terrorists, exposing hiding places and eliminating them. On the diplomatic level, the Americans are trying to delay such intense operations to prevent collapse of the ceasefire. Another consideration in the delay is continued searches for fallen kidnapped soldiers in various locations in the Strip.

The post Hamas seeks to keep weapons – Israel sends warning appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

]]>
https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/11/03/hamas-terrorists-demand-safe-passage-khan-younis-rafah-ceasefire/feed/
Trump's deal traps Israel as Hamas breaks rules https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/10/30/donald-trump-gaza-ceasefire-israel-hamas-violations/ https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/10/30/donald-trump-gaza-ceasefire-israel-hamas-violations/#respond Thu, 30 Oct 2025 09:45:54 +0000 https://www.israelhayom.com/?p=1098809 President Donald Trump achieved a diplomatic win with the Gaza ceasefire, but Hamas systematically violates the agreement while Trump blocks Israel from military response, leaving Jerusalem trapped between four impossible fronts

The post Trump's deal traps Israel as Hamas breaks rules appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

]]>
Israel has found itself in a complicated and challenging position, one that costs lives and consists of several fronts converging together. This is the post-war battle – a period when full military combat ended, but the challenges are just beginning.

First, there's a central fact to understand – a full-scale Israeli military war against Hamas will not resume. The war's cessation is considered one of President Donald Trump's major achievements, both internationally and in the domestic American arena. There's no chance he would give up this achievement.

However, Hamas systematically violates the ceasefire. The organization's terrorists continue attacking IDF soldiers, refuse to return fallen soldiers' bodies, tighten their control over western Gaza, and rehabilitate terror infrastructure. Each of these actions constitutes a blatant violation of the 20-point plan. But Israel's hands are tied – Trump, as clearly visible, does not agree to resume the war.

Locals gather to watch as an excavator works at the site where members of the Al-Qassam Brigades are searching for bodies (EPA/HAITHAM IMAD)

The truth must be told – it's not just Trump. Any decent person must ask themselves: What more can the IDF do to dismantle Hamas that wasn't done in the past two years? The organization still exists, and not only because of the 25% of the strip's territory the IDF didn't enter.

In fact, even Rafah, completely destroyed by Israel, provides a troubling example – three soldiers were killed in its vicinity in the past two weeks alone. In other words, military destruction alone is not enough. Hamas's death ideology is deeply rooted in Gazans' hearts – and that's where the real problem lies.

If so, what should be done? Here, according to Trump's plan, the "International Stabilization Force" (ISF) was supposed to come into action.

The Americans command the move but aren't willing to put "boots on the ground" – so the Marines remain out of the picture. The Turks expressed willingness to send soldiers, but Israel rejected the proposal – there's no intention to allow President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who cultivates Hamas in Turkey, to guard the organization's interests in Gaza. Qatari soldiers, if such exist, were also disqualified by Israel for exactly the same reason.

Who does Israel have left? The British declare they'll send soldiers directly into Gaza – but it remains to be seen if this will happen. The one seriously in the picture, according to all accounts, is Indonesia. However, according to the constitution in Jakarta, only a UN Security Council decision would allow President Prabowo Subianto to send 20,000 soldiers to the mission – and he indeed declared his willingness to do so at the UN last month.

France's President Emmanuel Macron (L) and Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto shake hands during a press briefing at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on May 28, 2025 (AFP / Ludovic Marin)

The UN is a universe unto itself, and this is the fourth and complicated part of the battle. Jerusalem has very little desire for a Security Council resolution regarding Gaza, and the reasons are well known. The problem is that such resolutions are a hard nail to extract.

In other words, the Trump administration might indeed put forth a resolution with language Israel could live with. However, within a short time, countries like France, Britain, and Arab states will ensure to add components such as "recognition of Palestinian aspirations" or other diplomatic landmines that will make things difficult for Israel.

This creates the complex reality – four fronts converging together, creating a dead end where Israel is stuck: unable to resume the war, failing to stop Hamas violations, encountering difficulties establishing an international force, and forced to deal with diplomatic pressures in the Security Council.

The post Trump's deal traps Israel as Hamas breaks rules appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

]]>
https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/10/30/donald-trump-gaza-ceasefire-israel-hamas-violations/feed/
Trump stopped Israel 3 times; he did the right thing https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/10/21/trump-stopped-israel-3-times-he-did-the-right-thing/ https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/10/21/trump-stopped-israel-3-times-he-did-the-right-thing/#respond Tue, 21 Oct 2025 07:47:07 +0000 https://www.israelhayom.com/?p=1096713 "I love Israel, I'm with you all the way," President Donald Trump concluded his historic Knesset address. That statement was and remains absolutely accurate even during days and hours when Trump's embrace occasionally becomes a bear hug. The US president is in no way harming Israel. From his perspective, he sometimes saves it from itself. […]

The post Trump stopped Israel 3 times; he did the right thing appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

]]>
"I love Israel, I'm with you all the way," President Donald Trump concluded his historic Knesset address. That statement was and remains absolutely accurate even during days and hours when Trump's embrace occasionally becomes a bear hug.

The US president is in no way harming Israel. From his perspective, he sometimes saves it from itself. This occurred when he demanded halting the Israeli Air Force planes that were already over Iranian territory at the end of Operation Rising Lion; when he told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the Gaza war had run its course and pressured him to adopt the plan to end it; and when he demanded reversing Netanyahu's decision on cutting aid supplies to the Gaza Strip two days ago.

Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu against the background of the Gaza Strip (Reuters / AP)

As of now, it appears that in all three instances he was correct, and indeed a responsible adult was needed to prevent us from acting against our own interests. Because indeed the war against Iran should have concluded on day 12, and it was correct to adopt the 20-point plan. Regarding eliminating Hamas in Gaza – the IDF was given two years to accomplish this, and particularly in the Rafah area the damage to the organization was the most severe. Nevertheless, Hamas fighters emerged from the tunnels there. In other words, before we make the ceasefire collapse we must formulate an orderly plan for how to achieve the war objectives that have not yet been reached.

In the grand scheme of things, Trump was and remains the most pro-Israel president ever, by a tremendous margin from all his predecessors. Therefore, even if here and there he makes things difficult for us, the matters must be put in their proper prespective.

Israeli security forces and first responders gather at the site of an Iranian strike that hit a residential neighborhood in the Ramat Aviv area in Tel Aviv on June 22, 2025 (Jack GUEZ / AFP)

We must also remember that he is not the first. All US presidents from time immemorial have demanded that Israel stop, restrain or reduce various military moves that we needed. Moreover, compared to his predecessors Trump has even expected Israel to be significantly more aggressive than it was. This happened with the famous sentence "the gates of hell will open on Gaza." And of course, in his first ten months in office, that same Trump opened the warehouses and gave the IDF all possible armaments.

So even if he is mistaken, it is permitted and proper to respect his request. And let us tell the truth – apparently there is also no other choice. Against the Democratic presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, Netanyahu could fight because he received tailwind from their Republican rivals. On the other hand, when the MAGA president gives us a red card, we have no counterweight to hold onto. The reason for this is the severe damage to Israel's image in the US.

Smoke rises up in a unit of the Abadan oil refinery in southwestern Iran (Pictured: Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei) / Farid Hamoudi/Fars News/WANA; KHAMENEI.IR / AFP

Our legitimacy oxygen has run out. In the situation that has been created, Israel and Netanyahu have no room for maneuver because we have been pushed into an PR corner. Extricating ourselves from it is therefore an urgent and critical mission. Because if we have a problem with Trump, how much more so will there be one with his successors, certainly if they come from the Democratic side but even if they arrive from the Republican camp.

Large and enormous forces from both left and right wings in the American discourse are working to weaken the alliance between the US and Israel. Unfortunately, they are playing against an empty goal.

From the prime minister down – everyone understands that a campaign for the gloal public opinion is required from Israel and the Jewish people. After all, our enemies in the world will only go and intensify their incitement against us, which will exacerbate the international legitimacy problem and further narrow the political room for maneuver. This, and not Trump's local "Don't," should therefore be Israel's central concern. If we do not open a campaign for consciousness now, in three years we will miss Trump's hugs.

The post Trump stopped Israel 3 times; he did the right thing appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

]]>
https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/10/21/trump-stopped-israel-3-times-he-did-the-right-thing/feed/
Inside the IDF's plan to relocate 1 million Gazans https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/08/20/inside-the-idfs-plan-to-relocate-1-million-gazans/ https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/08/20/inside-the-idfs-plan-to-relocate-1-million-gazans/#respond Wed, 20 Aug 2025 04:17:12 +0000 https://www.israelhayom.com/?p=1081797 In the first week of the war, the IDF instructed residents of northern Gaza to evacuate their homes and move south. Images of Palestinian convoys trudging along the coast and Salah al-Din Road with their belongings were broadcast worldwide, earning headlines in Palestinian media as a "second Nakba." However, the IDF was satisfied, the population […]

The post Inside the IDF's plan to relocate 1 million Gazans appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

]]>
In the first week of the war, the IDF instructed residents of northern Gaza to evacuate their homes and move south. Images of Palestinian convoys trudging along the coast and Salah al-Din Road with their belongings were broadcast worldwide, earning headlines in Palestinian media as a "second Nakba." However, the IDF was satisfied, the population evacuation operation, a critical first step toward launching a large-scale ground maneuver, appeared successful.

IDF Chiefof Staff Eyal Zamir (background: Gaza Strip) / AFP, IDF Spokesperson's Unit

In the following months, densely populated areas like Rafah and Khan Younis were almost entirely emptied of residents through deliberate efforts, enabling IDF divisions to maneuver more easily while reducing risks to both combatants and civilians. However, this practice has raised moral and legal challenges.

Now, as the anticipated takeover of Gaza City approaches, Southern Command faces its next challenge. In the coming days, one of the largest population relocation operations of the war is expected to begin, as a prelude to the ground incursion into Gaza City. Approximately one million people will be required to evacuate the city and move south beyond the Netzarim Corridor, which will serve as the boundary north of which combat will take place.

A message delivered by artillery

The complex evacuation operation is managed by Southern Command's Population Relocation Unit, whose existence is revealed here for the first time. The unit is responsible for mapping the population, gathering intelligence on it, and coordinating actions to facilitate its movement – distributing leaflets, sending text messages, and, ultimately, firing artillery shells, which send the clearest message to residents that they must evacuate.

"In the current war, the unit was already prepared for micro-level management of the operation," said Brig. Gen. (res.) Erez Weiner, who served during the war as the commander of the operational planning team in Southern Command. "This includes the process of notifications, who issues them, when, and how, as well as monitoring and verifying that there is a response on the other side and that the population is actually moving," Weiner said.

Palestinians climb a vehicle as they gather to receive aid supplies in Beit Lahia, in the northern Gaza Strip, June 23, 2025 (Reuters/Ebrahim Hajjaj)

According to UN data, about 82% of Gaza's residents lived before the war in areas the IDF designated as "evacuation zones." Providing aid to these millions of displaced people is an integral part of the population relocation principle. "To convince them to move, you need to use not only a stick but also a carrot," a former military source said.

Until now, Israel has insisted that the "carrot" – humanitarian aid to Gaza – be provided and managed by the UN and international organizations, such as the American GHF foundation. However, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) has been working in recent days to support the humanitarian infrastructure designed to absorb the hundreds of thousands of new evacuees from Gaza. "You cannot relocate people without ensuring that the humanitarian infrastructure – food, water, medical care, sanitation – meets the requirements of international law," a knowledgeable source said.

By late July, COGAT, under the guidance of the cabinet, approved an Emirati initiative to connect a water pipeline from a desalination plant in Egypt to the humanitarian zone in al-Mawasi. This week, Israel also approved, for the first time since the March 2025 ceasefire, the entry of tents and shelter equipment into Gaza. "You can't start moving a population and then say, 'Oops, there aren't enough tents,'" the same source said. "That's why Israel is already preparing the infrastructure for the evacuation."

The full article will appear in the weekend edition.

The post Inside the IDF's plan to relocate 1 million Gazans appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

]]>
https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/08/20/inside-the-idfs-plan-to-relocate-1-million-gazans/feed/
Renegade Palestinian group kills 5 Hamas terrorists in ambush https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/06/10/renegade-palestinian-group-kills-5-hamas-terrorists-in-ambush/ https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/06/10/renegade-palestinian-group-kills-5-hamas-terrorists-in-ambush/#respond Tue, 10 Jun 2025 04:38:40 +0000 https://www.israelhayom.com/?p=1064659   A senior official in the Popular Forces militia led by Yasser Abu Shabab announced overnight between Monday and Tuesday that their unit executed an ambush in Gaza against Hamas terrorists from the Sahm unit. According to the official, five terrorists were eliminated. He described the Hamas unit as "a gang of terror that oppresses […]

The post Renegade Palestinian group kills 5 Hamas terrorists in ambush appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

]]>
 

A senior official in the Popular Forces militia led by Yasser Abu Shabab announced overnight between Monday and Tuesday that their unit executed an ambush in Gaza against Hamas terrorists from the Sahm unit. According to the official, five terrorists were eliminated. He described the Hamas unit as "a gang of terror that oppresses our people."

Video: Shachar Kleiman

Supporters of the militia reported that the it acted in response to an attack Hamas' over it alleged "collaboration with Israel" or "stealing" humanitarian aid.

Yasser Abu Shabab, a member of the Tarabin tribe known for past cooperation with the Islamic State, now leads an armed force of hundreds in Rafah that seizes humanitarian aid trucks and accuses Hamas of "looting supplies." The terrorist organization is furious and has attempted to eliminate this emerging force.

In a first audio recording released on Sunday, Abu Shabab denies ties to Israel, despite Israel Hayom reporting on Israeli efforts to arm his group to counter Hamas, describes the situation in the Gaza Strip, and outlined his demands.

The Gaza warlord said tried in the video to position his "Popular Forces" as protectors of the Palestinian people against what he calls Hamas's "terrorism" and "unacceptable control."

The post Renegade Palestinian group kills 5 Hamas terrorists in ambush appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

]]>
https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/06/10/renegade-palestinian-group-kills-5-hamas-terrorists-in-ambush/feed/
IDF announces 8 KIAs in Rafah blast https://www.israelhayom.com/2024/06/15/idf-announces-8-kias-in-rafah-blast/ https://www.israelhayom.com/2024/06/15/idf-announces-8-kias-in-rafah-blast/#respond Sat, 15 Jun 2024 05:17:10 +0000 https://www.israelhayom.com/?p=964321   Eight troops from the Combat Engineering Corps' 601st Engineering Battalion of the 401st Armored Brigade were killed in an explosion of an armored personnel carrier early Saturday morning in the western Rafah area. The APC was based on the Merkava tank, often considered the safest tank in any army. So far, six of the […]

The post IDF announces 8 KIAs in Rafah blast appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

]]>
 

Eight troops from the Combat Engineering Corps' 601st Engineering Battalion of the 401st Armored Brigade were killed in an explosion of an armored personnel carrier early Saturday morning in the western Rafah area. The APC was based on the Merkava tank, often considered the safest tank in any army.

So far, six of the soldiers have been named as Cpt. Wassem Mahmoud, 23, from the northern Druze-majority town of Beit Jann; Sgt. Eliyahu Moshe Zimbalist, 21, from Beit Shemesh; Sgt. Itay Amar, 19, from Kochav Yair; Sgt. Stanislav Kostarev, 21, from Ashdod; Sgt. Or Blumovitz, 20, from Pardes Hanna-Karkur; and Sgt. Oz Yeshaya Gruber, 20, from Menashe. The names of the final two soldiers are due to be released later Sunday.

Top row, from left to right: Sgt. Stanislav Kostarev, Sgt. Or Blumovitz, Cpt. Wassem Mahmoud; bottom row, from left to right: Sgt. Oz Yeshaya Gruber, Sgt. Itay Amar, Sgt. Eliyahu Moshe Zimbalist (IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
Top row, from left to right: Sgt. Stanislav Kostarev, Sgt. Or Blumovitz, Cpt. Wassem Mahmoud. Bottom row, from left to right: Sgt. Oz Yeshaya Gruber, Sgt. Itay Amar, Sgt. Eliyahu Moshe Zimbalist (IDF Spokesperson's Unit) IDF Spokesperson's Unit

The blast occurred as a combat team was making its way from an attack on the Al-Sultan camp in western Rafah to a staging area. All eight soldiers inside the armored vehicle were killed.

Also on Saturday, the IDF announced that a fighter seriously injured earlier in the week in Rafah succumbed to his wounds. He was named as Sgt. Yair Roitman, 19, of the Givati Brigade's reconnaissance unit, from Karnei Shomron.

Roitman was wounded in an explosion in a booby-trapped building on June 10, in which four other soldiers were killed and six injured, including four seriously.

In addition, the IDF also announced the deaths of two soldiers killed in the northern Gaza Strip over the weekend. They were named as Cpt. (res.) Eitan Koplovich, 28, from Jerusalem and Warrant Officer (res.) Elon Weiss, 49, from Psagot.

From left to right: Sgt. Yair Roitman, Warrant Officer (res.) Elon Weiss, and Cpt. (res.) Eitan Koplovich (IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
From left to right: Sgt. Yair Roitman, Warrant Officer (res.) Elon Weiss, and Cpt. (res.) Eitan Koplovich (IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

On Monday, the IDF announced the names of more KIAs from the ongoing Operation Iron Swords following intense combat operations in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah. The four were in the Shabura neighborhood of Rafah, as part of a force from the Givati Brigade Training Formation, which operates under the Givati Brigade carrying out a joint operation with the Nahal Brigade. The force's movement was carried out on the main street, near the market, in an area with tunnels, reinforced houses, and ammunition. The fighters reached a three-story building that they planned to enter. Before entering, they threw a stun grenade into the building, in order to detonate any explosives that might be there. But despite throwing the stun grenades, when the forces entered there was a massive explosion that caused the building to collapse.

In recent weeks, the US has pressured Israel to avoid a large-scale assault on the city for fear that this would cause widespread destruction and a humanitarian catastrophe. Israel has vowed to maintain its careful separation between the civilian population and combatants and has allowed hundreds of trucks to enter the Gaza Strip daily, including via a floating pier set up by the United States' military.

The post IDF announces 8 KIAs in Rafah blast appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

]]>
https://www.israelhayom.com/2024/06/15/idf-announces-8-kias-in-rafah-blast/feed/
Gov't surprised by IDF's 'unacceptable' tactical pauses; PM told fighting to continue as planned https://www.israelhayom.com/2024/06/13/official-calls-idfs-unilateral-rafah-lull-unacceptable-rafah-to-continue-as-planned/ https://www.israelhayom.com/2024/06/13/official-calls-idfs-unilateral-rafah-lull-unacceptable-rafah-to-continue-as-planned/#respond Thu, 13 Jun 2024 08:52:40 +0000 https://www.israelhayom.com/?p=964657   Scathing reactions followed the Israeli military spokesperson's announcement Sunday regarding "tactical military pauses' in the fighting in the Rafah area of the southern Gaza Strip, which was interpreted to mean a daily ceasefire from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM until further notice. The move was intended to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into […]

The post Gov't surprised by IDF's 'unacceptable' tactical pauses; PM told fighting to continue as planned appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

]]>
 

Scathing reactions followed the Israeli military spokesperson's announcement Sunday regarding "tactical military pauses' in the fighting in the Rafah area of the southern Gaza Strip, which was interpreted to mean a daily ceasefire from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM until further notice. The move was intended to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza but was quickly met with criticism in Israel.

According to a diplomatic source, when the prime Minister heard the morning reports about an 11-hour daily humanitarian pause, he turned to his military secretary and clarified that it was unacceptable.

 

After clarification, the prime Minister was informed that there was no change in the Israeli military's policy, and the fighting in Rafah would continue as planned, the source said. The source noted that the political echelon was surprised by the announcement from the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories and the Israeli military, claiming the issue was never discussed or approved by the Diplomatic-Security Cabinet. Following immediate criticism after the announcement's publication, the Israeli army was forced to issue a clarification statement.

The IDF Spokesperson Rear-Admiral Daniel Hagari wrote on X: "There is no cessation of fighting in the southern Gaza Strip, and the fighting in Rafah continues. Also, there has been no change in the delivery of goods into the Gaza Strip. The route for carrying the goods will be open during the day in coordination with international organizations for the transportation of humanitarian aid only."

The IDF's Arabic spokesperson said, "As part of the Israeli military's ongoing efforts to increase the flow of humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip, and after discussions with the UN and international organizations, it was decided that effective yesterday and until further notice, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., tactical and localized military activity will cease for humanitarian purposes along the road from Kerem Shalom to Salah al-Din Street and northward."

'Could erase the achievements of the war.'

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich published a strongly-worded text on his X account. "A few words on this morning's absurd announcement by the Coordinator of Government Activities about a 'humanitarian pause' in Rafah: The way the humanitarian effort in the Gaza Strip has been managed, with most aid reaching Hamas and helping it maintain civilian control over the Strip in direct contradiction to the war's objectives, has been wrong for months," the Minister began.

He continued, assigning responsibility for the war's outcome to the Israeli military's conduct, even sharply criticizing the prime Minister: "It was wrong before, and it's wrong now. For months, I've been warning on every platform that this is one of the reasons for the war's prolongation and the resounding strategic failure threatening to erase the bravery of our fighters and field commanders, as well as their incredible tactical professionalism and successes. The IDF chief of staff and defense minister have adamantly refused for six months the only path to victory: Conquering the strip and temporarily imposing military rule until Hamas is destroyed. Sadly, Prime Minister Netanyahu either doesn't want to or cannot force this upon them."

According to Smotrich, "This morning's disconnected announcement in the foreign media about a 'humanitarian pause' along the aid supply route from Kerem Shalom to the European hospital in the center of the Strip did not reflect any change on the ground. This route has existed since the beginning of Operation Rafah and is intended to allow the entry of aid by international organizations, in line with the flawed existing approach."

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also rushed to attack the announcement of the tactical pause, saying: "Whoever decided on a 'tactical pause' for humanitarian passage, especially as our finest soldiers are falling in battle, is a fool and an idiot who should no longer remain in their position. Unfortunately, this move was not brought before the Diplomatic-Security Cabinet, contradicting its decisions. It is time to abandon the concept and stop the delusional, crazed approach that only brings us more casualties and losses."

The post Gov't surprised by IDF's 'unacceptable' tactical pauses; PM told fighting to continue as planned appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

]]>
https://www.israelhayom.com/2024/06/13/official-calls-idfs-unilateral-rafah-lull-unacceptable-rafah-to-continue-as-planned/feed/