The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Monday that Hamas is still capable of targeting central Israel with rockets from Rafah and that it is likely to do so once the IDF approaches the area, according to the Times of Israel. It believes some Hamas fighters withdrew to the so-called al-Mawasi humanitarian zone on the Gaza coast but that many fighters are still in Rafah.
The IDF said that Hamas no longer has any missile production facilities but did not comment on the group's ability to smuggle in weapons from Egypt via underground tunnels. The Israeli military said it has so far killed over 130 gunmen in its operation in east Rafah. It added that around 300,000 to 400,000 Palestinians remain in Rafah, while some 950,000 have evacuated.
