Terrorists killed on unprecedented scale: IDF divisions achieve major milestones in Gaza - analysis

The IDF divisions operating in the Gaza Strip have achieved numerous successes there. While some milestones are still not cleared for publication, those that have been highlight operational successes of Israel’s war effort.

The 162nd Division, led by Brig.-Gen. Itzik Cohen, has made significant gains in two areas of Gaza: the Philadelphi Corridor and the city of Rafah, with a focus on the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood.

According to military sources in the Southern Command, the division has accumulated achievements that cannot yet be published but significantly harm Hamas's strength-building efforts.

To this can be added the killing of dozens of terrorists every day.

"The fighting pace of the brigade combat teams deserves great appreciation," said the sources. 

On the Egyptian border, troops continued engineering activity to map the area, locate the tunnels, and subsequently destroy them. 

The 98th Division, under the command of Brig.-Gen. Guy Levy is currently fighting in the Khan Yunis area and Deir al Balah, in areas where the IDF has not maneuvered until now. So far, three tunnels have been destroyed, in one of which the bodies of the hostages were found.

"The knowledge and professional level of the troops are thoroughly dismantling Hamas's underground infrastructure," military officials said, adding that "unlike in the past, today the force that handles each infrastructure knows how many terrorists were there, when they left, what their purpose was, where the route leads, where the tunnel ends.

"There are tunnels that Hamas uses, and the 98th Division destroys them," the source added.

The Philadelphi Corridor 

The 252nd Division under the command of Brig.-Gen. Yehuda Vach is responsible for the security of the Philadelphi Corridor and the corridor's expansion in recent weeks.

The IDF  invested in infrastructure and security components in the corridor. This indicates that the future control of the corridor is not something Israel will not easily cede in hostage deal negotiations. 

The IDF controls the area completely, and the military's grip there has only grown due to activities in the area's outskirts, with an emphasis on the Zeitoun neighborhood.

While there has been criticism regarding a lack of artillery fire and aerial strikes, aerial photographs indicate the operational achievement that harms Hamas's freedom of action and reinforces Israel's bargaining chip in the hostage deal negotiations. 

The Gaza Division, commanded by Brig.-Gen. Avi Rosenfeld is responsible for border protection and expanding a buffer area. In recent weeks, the fence has been repaired, and new sensors and means of observation are gradually being placed.

The targeting command center of the IDF Southern Command under the command of Col. Y. operates around the clock to track down Hamas officials. However, the terror group's military branch has switched to guerilla tactics. It mainly operates underground and from educational institutions.

Despite this cynical exploitation, the Southern Command succeeded in attacking and killing terrorists on an unprecedented scale, turning Hamas's attempts to regain control of the territory and recovery into a sense of being hunted. 

The security establishment expects an increase in the pace and closing of the circle of fire, especially when the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and Unit 504 work to activate agents and expand the scope of sources and agents operating in the field.