This morning, Division 98 exited Khan Younis following a successful operation to recover five abducted bodies and eliminate dozens, if not hundreds, of Hamas terrorists. Later this week, Division Commander Brigadier General Dan Goldfus will conclude his role and be promoted to Major General, taking on the role of Northern Command Chief and Commander of the Maneuvering Forces.
Goldfus is likely the most experienced division commander in manoeuvre warfare, with his division participating in most of the combat within Gaza, including both the northern part of the Strip and Khan Younis.
The division's operations in the current war have been both above and below ground. The IDF says that there have been significant changes in the conduct of the war, both within the IDF and within Hamas.
While the IDF once feared the tunnels as an unknown threat that was impossible to enter, after seven months of manoeuvring, it can now be said that this challenge is manageable.
To date, the IDF has destroyed 110 kilometres of tunnels throughout the Gaza Strip, with the pace of discovery and exposure accelerating as the fighting progresses.
Hamas, for its part, is beginning to realize that it is losing the war both above and below ground, and is adjusting its combat strategies. Initially, Hamas fought in large groups, but now its squads have shrunk to two or three terrorists who engage in guerrilla attacks and then disappear. Direct combat with the IDF is nearly non-existent. Furthermore, intelligence from prisoner interrogations provides the IDF with a significant advantage in pinpointing tunnel locations and conducting precise strikes. The operation to locate the five abducted bodies was conducted in this manner, and the successful completion of the mission within 24 hours is a major achievement for both intelligence and the soldiers.
Terrorists Cannot Survive Long in Tunnels
From the equipment found in the tunnels, the IDF has learned that terrorists cannot survive long underground. The tunnels are equipped with water, electricity, and ventilation systems. The IDF has targeted all the solar systems discovered above ground to prevent possible electricity supply to the tunnels. Additionally, materials found in the tunnels indicate that the terrorists cannot physically endure prolonged periods underground.
Nine months into the war, it is evident that there is almost no fighting underground and that the tunnels serve the terrorists as hiding places and transit routes between areas.
Nevertheless, the IDF understands that the war will not end until Hamas is eradicated both above and below ground. This is why there is a return to areas from which the IDF has fought and withdrawn—to complete the mission of eliminating the enemy and its infrastructure, including below the surface.