Israeli Channel 12 said that Israel informed US envoy Amos Hockstein that its military operations in the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip are nearing completion, amid talk about the occupation extending its control over most of the city’s neighborhoods.

Israeli Channel 12 reported that Israel informed the American envoy that the end of operations in Rafah would affect the region and the Lebanon front.

This comes at a time when the Israeli occupation army announced that it was able to tighten its control over about 60% to 70% of the city of Rafah, as part of its military operation that has been ongoing for 40 days.

The occupation army said that it suffered heavy losses during the battle, as 22 soldiers were killed and more than 300 of its members were wounded, at the very least.

He confirmed that he found more than 200 tunnel openings in the area, indicating that he is close to resolving the battle in Rafah, but he needs more weeks.

The occupation army said that during the military operation in the city, it found intelligence materials related to Israeli prisoners in the Gaza Strip, and places where they were held, suggesting that some of the prisoners were “smuggled” before the army entered Rafah.