‘Two Years to Knock Out Hamas in Rafah’ – Israeli 12 Brigade Chief

Israeli Commander of the 12th Brigade says dismantling the Hamas structure in Rafah will take at least two years.

Hevri El-Baz said the task of eliminating Hamas is not something easy and this issue requires time and great military pressure that needs to be applied consistently on Hamas fighters operating in Rafah.

The Israeli army entered Rafah on 6 May and they are still battling Palestinian resistance fighters there with daily losses in lives and hardware.

The Israeli military commander says Hamas is waging a guerrilla war made up of independent groups which makes the task of dealing with it more difficult.

These groups are a broad representation of the Palestinian resistance movement including the Islamists Saraya Al Quds and the Abu Ali Mustapha Brigade of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

The Israeli commander warns whoever thinks that the sirens will stop within the next year is throwing sands in the eyes, adding fighting in Rafah is going slowly and Hamas fighters have studied us well.

The comments made by El-Baz are being uttered when there are at least nine brigades operating in this small city. Also, it shows the stiff resistance they are encountering from the different Palestinian armed groups.  

The commander is echoing the views made by many Israelis including Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari who openly said Hamas can’t be beaten in Gaza and whoever believes that is throwing sand in the public’s eyes.  

CrossFireArabia

CrossFireArabia

Dr. Marwan Asmar holds a PhD from Leeds University and is a freelance writer specializing on the Middle East. He has worked as a journalist since the early 1990s in Jordan and the Gulf countries, and been widely published, including at Albawaba, Gulf News, Al Ghad, World Press Review and others.

Related Posts

Palestinian Journalists Under Attack – 55 Israeli Violations in May

The Palestinian Journalists Association (PJA) announced, Monday, it documented 55 violations by Israeli occupation soldiers against Palestinian journalists in last May. It described such violations are part of a  systematic policy to restrict and prevent West Bank and Gaza journalists to carry out their professional duties.

The PJA’s Freedoms Committee said in a press statement to Quds Press the Israeli occupation continues its violations against journalists and media workers to limit their ability to report the truth and document attacks and violations against Palestinians.

The documented violations during May included two injuries from live ammunition while covering events in the field, two arbitrary arrests, and 30 cases of detention and prevention from working and covering events.

The committee also recorded five cases of direct gunfire directed at journalists, five attacks using tear gas and stun grenades, in addition to two cases of confiscation of journalistic equipment and two cases of physical assault on journalists.

The violations include two cases of journalists being barred from covering news at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, one of a media outlet being raided and shut down, another of a journalist being brought before a court and three cases of journalists summoned and interrogated.

The committee affirmed that these practices constitute a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, the Geneva Conventions, and international covenants on freedom of opinion and expression, which stipulate the protection of journalists while performing their professional duties in conflict zones.

It added that the escalating targeting of journalists reflects a systematic approach aimed at restricting media coverage and preventing the dissemination of information about the reality and violations suffered by the Palestinian people. The committee noted that the occupation continues to use various means to suppress media work and obstruct the public’s access to information.

The Committee for Freedoms called on international human rights and media organizations, as well as the United Nations, to uphold their legal and moral responsibilities, pressure the occupation authorities to cease their ongoing violations against Palestinian journalists, hold those responsible accountable, and provide the necessary protection for media workers.

The PJA announced last May it documented nearly 300 Israeli crimes, violations, and attacks against Palestinian journalists since the beginning of 2026 and the trend is set to continue judging from the scale of esclation against media workers.

The press association indicated at the time the number of journalists killed reached 262 since the outbreak of the war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023, including 261 journalists murdered in the Gaza Strip, in addition to six journalists killed since the beginning of 2026.

This comes at a time when Israeli attacks against Palestinians continue in various areas, amid increasing complaints about the targeting of journalists, the obstruction of their work, and the prevention of their coverage of events on the ground and their reporting to the public.

Continue reading

You Missed

Palestinian Journalists Under Attack – 55 Israeli Violations in May

Palestinian Journalists Under Attack – 55 Israeli Violations in May

Jordan Footballers Delighted For World Cup Matches

Jordan Footballers Delighted For World Cup Matches

World Cup: Trump, Political Footballing and Iran – A View From Amman

World Cup: Trump, Political Footballing and Iran – A View From Amman

A Red Flower And a Little Love

A Red Flower And a Little Love

Diving in a War Zone

Diving in a War Zone

Netanyahu, Iran and The ‘Destructive’ Israeli Personality

Netanyahu, Iran and The ‘Destructive’ Israeli Personality