The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported this evening, Sunday, June 23, 2024, citing military sources, that the Israeli army has completed most of its ground military operations in the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, as determined by the political leadership.

The newspaper added, "The Israeli army has completed most of its ground operations in Rafah, amid constraints and pressures from the United States and Egypt, which opposed a large-scale military operation that includes the full occupation of the city."

It continued, "Based on this, the Israeli army operated with only one brigade in some neighborhoods of the city of Rafah, causing damage to the (terrorist) infrastructure of the Hamas battalion and controlling operations on the smuggling route in the Philadelphia corridor adjacent to Sinai."

The newspaper indicated that the political level had instructed the army, on the eve of its entry into the area two months ago, to strike up to 60% of the Hamas brigades in Rafah, with the task to be completed through repeated airstrikes in the following months.

The newspaper claimed that hundreds of Hamas fighters escaped from Rafah to Khan Younis unharmed as part of Hamas's rehabilitation in the southern Gaza Strip.

It said, "With the withdrawal of the 162nd brigade from Rafah next month, the Israeli army will practically conclude the entire phase of intense fighting in the Gaza Strip, and it will transition in Rafah to phase (C), which includes repeated airstrikes."

The newspaper indicated that the political level had instructed the army, on the eve of its entry into the area two months ago, to strike up to 60% of the Hamas brigades in Rafah, with the task to be completed through repeated airstrikes in the following months.

The newspaper claimed that hundreds of Hamas fighters escaped from Rafah to Khan Younis unharmed as part of Hamas's rehabilitation in the southern Gaza Strip.

It said, "With the withdrawal of the 162nd brigade from Rafah next month, the Israeli army will practically conclude the entire phase of intense fighting in the Gaza Strip, and it will transition in Rafah to phase (C), which includes repeated airstrikes."