Since Hamas is not a country, but a terrorist organization, it operates in a decentralized mode. It disperses its government centers and its senior operatives in various locations and even in separate countries. In the Gaza Strip, Hamas has three centers of activity: Gaza City, Khan Younis and Rafah. Only by gaining control – military and civil – over all three of them, can the Hamas terror organization that controls Gaza be toppled.
Khan Younis became their alternative government center after Gaza City
To this day Hamas regards Khan Younis as one of its key centers and therefore it built an alternative government center there. This is precisely the reason that when the IDF began operations in Gaza City, Hamas had no problem withdrawing and regrouping in Khan Younis and directing the battle from there.
The overthrow of the Khan Younis brigade dealt a severe blow to Hamas
In IDF terms, the battle for Khan Younis was exceptional, requiring seven brigades simultaneously, which is in itself proof of just how heavily fortified the city was. Ultimately, when the IDF overcame the Khan Younis Brigade, it dealt a severe blow to Hamas' command and control capabilities. This being said, since Hamas is highly flexible and adept at finding alternative solutions, it retreated to Rafah, and to this day it is proving capable of waging its battles from there.
Rafah is the final Hamas stronghold and its economic foundation
Rafah is the last Hamas stronghold. The organization has an entire brigade there, which includes four battalions and, apparently, this is where the organization’s leaders are and our hostages are being held. This is also where a flourishing smuggling industry operates, generating sizable amounts of money into Hamas’ coffers, which serve as the economic foundation for its force building.
When Israel relinquished control of Rafah, it spurred massive terrorist escalation
Up until the Oslo Accords, Israel ruled both Rafah and the Philadelphi Corridor, however when the accords were signed, Israel relinquished its rule over the city. This concession also spurred the development of a thriving tunnel and smuggling industry, accelerating the escalation of terrorist activity. Ever since the war broke out, Hamas has continued to build its force through armaments and manpower passing through the city’s tunnels. This force-building has cost Israel dearly in lost lives.
Overrunning Rafah as the final center of Hamas operation is the only way to topple it
Ever since the disengagement from Gaza in 2005, terrorist attacks from the coastal strip increased even further. In 2006, IDF soldier Gilad Shalit was abducted from the Kerem Shalom region near Rafah, and a year later Hamas seized control over the entire Strip. At the same time, the tunnel industry continued to develop. It grew into a project that generated billions of dollars every year. Here, Hamas transformed from a small-scale organization into a fully-fledged terrorist army. It is clear therefore that toppling the Hamas regime will only be made possible after completely overrunning all of it's operational centers of gravity, including the city of Rafah.
We must also establish an alternative government immediately, post-conflict
However, we also intend to prevent any likelihood of the future resurgence of Hamas. To ensure it cannot regain its strength and seize power again, we need to not only sever its links to its financial lifelines, but we must also establish a functioning alternative government immediately after the cessation of hostilities, one that will address every civil and humanitarian aspect of life in the Gaza Strip.
It is clear that toppling the Hamas regime will only be made possible after completely overrunning the city of Rafah. There is no doubt that Israel has many challenges in store for them, and it will take years until we see peace and stability in Gaza; however, in the meantime, our goal is united: the complete conquest of the city of Rafah – Hamas’ last administrative symbol, and the arena in which the entire war will be won.
- Brigadier General (res.) Amir Avivi is the founder and chairman of the Israel Defense And Security Forum (IDSF).