IDF ‘Encircles’ Rafah, Cordons Off Hamas Terror Stronghold From Rest of Gaza
Israeli TV channel i24NEWS: “Rafah, the Palestinian enclave’s southernmost city, is now completely surrounded by the Israeli forces.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Saturday encircled Rafah, cordoning off the southern Gaza terrorist stronghold from the rest of the Strip, Israeli media reports say.
“The Israeli military said on Saturday it established effective full control over the southern Gaza city of Rafah following its completion of the Morag route, separating Rafah from Khan Younis,” Israel’s i24NEWS reported.
The IDF is now in control of the Morag Corridor that separates Rafah from Khan Younis, and the strategic Philadelphi Corridor, the Hamas’ main weapons smuggling route from Egypt.
“Rafah, the Palestinian enclave’s southernmost city, is now completely surrounded by the Israeli forces, as the 36th Division is holding the Morag Corridor and the Gaza Division is securing the Philadelphi Corridor along the Egypt-Gaza border area,” the Israeli TV channel added.
BREAKING: Rafah is sealed.
The IDF just split Gaza in two.Surprise assault: Golani from the east, 188th Brigade from the west.
Morag Axis secured.
Philadelphi choked.
Hamas is now trapped—between sea, steel, and no escap.
SHALOM HAMAS. pic.twitter.com/OfTfFKt0Q2— daniel hanukayeb (@LionsOfZion_ORG) April 11, 2025
Furthermore, the IDF issued new evacuation orders for the nearby Hamas-infested town of Khan Younis after terrorists fired rockets into Israel. “Following the Hamas rocket fire from the southern Gaza Strip on the border community of Nir Yitzhak, the IDF issues an evacuation warning for Palestinians in the Khan Younis area,” The Times of Israel reported Saturday. “Three rockets were launched by Hamas in the attack, with the IDF reporting that it shot down all of them.”
The IDF says it has effective full control over the southern Gaza city of Rafah and its completion of the Morag route, separating it from Khan Younis. According to estimates, Israel now has control of 30% of the Gaza Strip, as seen in white in the latest maps shared by the IDF. pic.twitter.com/6K4C5TZJnI
— Ariel Oseran أريئل أوسيران (@ariel_oseran) April 12, 2025
The Israeli news website YNET reported the ongoing counter-terrorism operation in and around the Rafah terror stronghold:
Earlier in the day, the military said it had completed its deployment along the Morag Corridor and effectively cut off southern Gaza from the rest of the coastal enclave. The military said its forces had surrounded the city of Rafah, destroyed underground tunnels and dismantled terror infrastructure. According to the IDF, dozens of terrorists were killed in the area over the past 10 days of fighting.
“The IDF will continue to solidify its control on the main passageway and take action to thwart terror activity,” the military said in a statement.
In a separate report, the YNET noted:
Meanwhile, fighting continues across the Gaza Strip, along with a wave of new evacuation orders. IDF Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee issued evacuation notices Friday for residents of several neighborhoods in northern Gaza, including eastern Shujaiya, Tuffah, and eastern Zeitoun. Shortly after the announcement, residents were seen leaving those areas toward western Gaza City.
Evacuation notices were also issued for the areas of Khuza’a, Abasan al-Kabira, and Abasan al-Jadida. “The IDF has launched a powerful offensive. This area is considered an active combat zone. For your safety, evacuate immediately to shelters in Khan Younis,” the statement read.
The IDF announces that it has completed capturing the Morag Corridor in the southern Gaza Strip, cutting off the city of Rafah from Khan Younis.
Rafah is now completely surrounded by the military, with the 36th Division holding the Morag Corridor, and the Gaza Division operating… pic.twitter.com/yozLxbngLD
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) April 12, 2025
The news comes as Israel intensifies the ground operation in Gaza after Hamas in mid-March rejected a U.S. ceasefire proposal, refusing to negotiate the release of 59 hostages, including the remains of 35 murdered Israelis.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, on Saturday, issued an ultimatum demanding the dismantling of Hamas, freeing all the remaining hostages, and an end to terrorist attacks from Gaza, the Jerusalem Post reported:
Defense Minister Israel Katz released a statement addressing Gazans on Saturday, following the completion of the IDF’s encirclement of Rafah and establishment of the Morag corridor separating the southern city from Khan Yunis.
“This is the final opportunity to dismantle Hamas, release all the hostages, and bring the war to an end,” the defense minister said.
“The IDF will soon intensify its operations across most of Gaza. Those who are interested will also be able to voluntarily move to various countries in the world in accordance with the vision of the US President, which we are working on,” he added.
IDF “fully operational across all fronts” as week-long Passover festivities began
The IDF was in “full operational readiness” against the terrorist onslaught on all fronts as Jews across Israel observe the seven-day Passover festivities starting this Saturday, the military sources say. “Despite the Passover holiday, the IDF remains fully operational across all fronts,” the Israeli news website Arutz Sheva reported Friday. “In Gaza, troops target terrorists and infrastructure, while Northern Command defends the Galilee and operates in Lebanon and Syria.”
Meanwhile, the IDF “Central Command secures key areas in Judea and Samaria” and the “IAF and Navy support missions across all sectors,” the Israel news outlet noted.
The Arutz Sheva detailed the Israeli military preparedness on multiple fronts:
In the Northern Command, IDF troops continue their mission to defend the communities of the Galilee and remain deployed along the entire border, including at five positions in southern Lebanon. The troops continue their mission to protect the communities in the sector.
In Syria, troops are engaged in forward defense missions — removing threats, confiscating weapons, and continuing to operate to ensure the safety of residents in the Golan Heights.
In the Central Command, IDF troops remain deployed and continue the defensive effort, maintaining security along roadways, recreational areas and tourist sites. The forces continue to operate in terror hotspots in northern Samaria. As part of the ongoing operation, forces conducted activity this week in Tubas and in Shechem (Nablus). Across villages in Judea and Samaria, troops are continuing overnight operations to counter terrorism.
The IAF continues operating both defensively and offensively across all sectors, maintaining high readiness and wide deployment, the IDF statement said.
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Comments
Let Hamas meet the ‘steel’.
Unfortunately this will never end. Too many arabs. Not enough force. Israel walking a very fine line as usual.
Actually, this can end but it takes balls if steel to want Hamas terrorism to end.
Fortunately with a friendly American administration so far impervious to the lefts shrieking it’s looking good for Hamas being eliminated and Gaza being taken over and forced in to the 21st century.
I think what you have mixed up in this is that by doing the same thing time and time again and being surprised the outcome is always the same means nothing ever changes.
The Palestinian worlds needs to be forcefully de-Hamased and their culture dragged on to the modern era and with the elimination of Hesbullah and soon the mullahs in Iran then this is much closer than you think.
There are 1.5 billion muslims in this world and most would gladly cheer jews being roasted on a spit, There are 57 muslim countries 22 of which are arab. They might not want hamas etc… in their countries but they pretty much support hamas, at least their people do, You can add onto this at least 1/3 of the West which is progressive and view Jews as white affiliated oppressors, hostile Russia and China, and a good junk of Africa and it is not a pretty picture,
Wages of unrelenting, Islamofascist/Muslim terrorist attacks.
Islamofascism/Muslim supremacism/Muslim terrorism and the genocidal goals of the Arab invaders from Arabia (who’ve been dishonestly re-branded as “Palestinians”) are the problem, here, and, represent the main obstacle to regional peace.
Let’s see if the vile, stupid and evil American Dhimmi-crats and European, leftist dhimmis, can understand that simple reality.
Evacuate to new location…
To what end?
Pushing the school of fish around among which Hamas hides (and the hostages)
Find there hideouts and tunnels then destroy them like they are doing here. We are seeing what the millions of Euro’s worth of cement and rebar Europe donates to the South Syrian Sheepherders is actually used for. Should not be a surprise, though.
An attempt to reduce civilian death but it is never enough to placate the islamists and globalists.
Israel has Sovereignty over Gaza.
They should terminate its semi-autonomous status.
The Camp David Accords, that Jimmy Carter bullied Israel to accept, gifted Gaza self-governance in exchange for, supposedly “peace”.
The deal was called “Land for Peace”.
Israel retained Sovereignty.
Israel had to forcibly remove Jewish and Christian citizens from Gaza as part of the deal.
The Arab Muslims living there got the Land. Israel never got a day’s peace.
So, declare it null and void – based entirely on the cobstant attacks Israel was subjected to over the past 45 years.
Israel would then have direct political administration of it, lile they do anywhere else in their country.
Deport to Egypt, Jordan, or anywhere else any muslims unwilling to live under, and take an oath to be loyal to, Israeli governance and allow any Israeli citizens to move there that want to – end the prohibition on non-muslim residency.
Removal of Christians & Jews from Gaza was not part of Oslo. (Oslo was bad enough.) Ariel Sharon removed the Jews nearly a decade later to placate the left & the west. Palestinian Arab Muslims removed the Palestinian Arab Christians.
And in related news, which Vijeta Uniyal seems to have overlooked, …
https://rumble.com/v6rvln9-fox-news-journalist-debunks-idf-lie.html?e9s=src_v1_ucp
In other news professional anti-Semite Glenn Greenwald continues to be Hamas #1 advocate.
Within the LI comment sections the IDF is to be believed without question.
Within the LI comments section, there is also the concern troll who fangirls for Hamas and Hezbollah.
Post proof that “the IDF is to be believed without question” or take a seat.
Not really. He is a skeptic of everything and puts his stuff out there. “houtis never bombed an American ship”. That’s pretty easy to research.
No one cares other than the Israel haters, which may include you. The level of scrutiny applied to Israel during war (and any other time, as well) is applied only to Israel. What other country comes close to the efforts of Israel to avoid unnecessary civilian casualties? (“none” is the answer, in case you weren’t sure). In terms of scrutiny, let me ask you how many “innocent civilians” and children were killed in recent US attacks on the Houthis? You don’t know. In fact, no one knows. But how many Gazans were killed? I’m sure you’re quick with that information. Each death is counted (and usually counted at least twice) and distributed and publicized without any verification.
If you’re very interested in learning about governments lying during wars, I recommend that you read Neil Sheehan’s “A Bright Shining Lie, John Paul Vann and American in Vietnam.” It’s an excellent book. You’ll get a catalogue of 20 years’ worth of lies that got over 50,000 Americans killed, not to mention more than a million or so Vietnamese. And for what?
Vijeta didn’t forget about the issue you posted. He correctly viewed it as not particularly newsworthy here, or in the context of world events.
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