The Israeli Minister of Security, Yoav Galant, said after deliberations held to assess the situation in the Rafah area in the southern Gaza Strip, that “other forces will join the ground military operation in Rafah” to invade the city, which houses more than a million Palestinians who have taken refuge there from other areas in the Strip since the beginning of the war. 

Galant added, according to a statement issued by his office today, Thursday, that “this military operation will continue with additional forces that will enter (into Rafah). Our forces destroyed a number of tunnels in this area, and other tunnels will be destroyed soon.”

He considered, "This military operation will intensify, and Hamas will now not be able to reorganize itself. It has no reserves and no capabilities to produce combat means. It does not obtain supplies, it does not have ammunition, and it has no ability to properly care for terrorists who have been targeted. This means that we are weakening them."

The statement said by Gallant: “I am now in the Rafah area after I met with the Commander of the Southern Region, the Commander of the 162nd Military Division, the Commander of the 84th Brigade, the Commander of the 401st Brigade, and the Fire Brigade. They are all working in an unusual manner, and are using fire inside the area, and were attacked.” Hundreds of tunnels, and the forces are maneuvering and have arrived close to their lines.”