Israel is moving to take full control of Rafah, clearing the area and transforming it into a permanent security zone, Defense Minister Israel Katz announced today.
Defense Minister Katz underlined the stakes: if Hamas refuses to release the hostages, Israel will escalate to full combat across Gaza © Mena Today
Israel is moving to take full control of Rafah, clearing the area and transforming it into a permanent security zone, Defense Minister Israel Katz announced today.
“The IDF will control everything from the Morag Corridor to the Philadelphi Corridor on the Egyptian border. Rafah will be evacuated and turned into a security zone. This is already happening,” Katz said during a visit to the southern front.
The Morag Corridor — seized by Israeli forces three weeks ago — slices between Rafah and Khan Younis. It is set to stretch 12 kilometers long and 1.5 kilometers wide, creating a chokepoint in southern Gaza.
The immediate objective is tactical: encircle and dismantle Hamas’s Rafah Brigade, estimated at several hundred fighters. Military officials admit Hamas used past ceasefires to rebuild, rearm, and regroup. Israel’s new approach abandons containment in favor of permanent disruption.
But the broader goal is strategic: to deliver a decisive blow to the Palestinian national movement itself — not only in Gaza, but across the West Bank and the wider region. By reducing Hamas’s territorial control and triggering large-scale displacement, Israel is reshaping the political landscape, not just the battlefield.
Pressure on Rafah could force Hamas into a hostage deal on Israeli terms, crippling its ability to regenerate military power. At the same time, Israeli leadership sees the weakening of Palestinian national ambitions as crucial for establishing a new regional equilibrium — one tilted decisively in Israel’s favor.
Officials argue this emerging balance of power is essential for ensuring long-term security and stability after the trauma of October 7. Strategic paralysis is being replaced with strategic redesign.
Defense Minister Katz underlined the stakes: if Hamas refuses to release the hostages, Israel will escalate to full combat across Gaza.
“We will fight until every hostage is freed and Hamas is crushed,” he said.
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