IDF Controls 63% of Gaza, Inflicts Heavy Damage on Hamas
Translated & summarized from Cursorinfo by baba
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- IDF controls 63% of Gaza territory, according to Brigadier General Liron Betito.
- Nearly 40 new IDF strongholds have been established near Gaza border communities.
- Significant portions of Hamas's underground infrastructure have been destroyed.
- All Hamas brigade commanders and most battalion commanders have been eliminated.
- Approximately 90% of residents have returned to Gaza border areas.
- IDF operations were complicated by the presence of hostages early in the war.
Brigadier General Liron Betito, commander of the Gaza Division, stated that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) currently control 63% of the Gaza Strip's territory. In an interview with the IDF podcast, Betito explained that the military has established nearly 40 new strongholds, significantly improving the defense of border communities by positioning soldiers directly in front of them. He also noted that control over border crossings restricts Hamas's ability to move resources and weapons, while the IDF continues to strike militants, seize weapons, and limit the group's operational freedom.
Betito highlighted the ongoing efforts to locate and neutralize Hamas's underground infrastructure, describing how the military is using drilling and mapping technologies to survey the sector. He asserted that a significant portion of Hamas's subterranean network has been destroyed, though some elements may remain. The general characterized Hamas's overall situation as "very difficult," reporting that all Hamas brigade commanders and most battalion commanders have been eliminated over the past three years, citing recent operations against commanders in Rafah and Khan Younis.
Regarding the return of residents to border areas, Betito reported that approximately 90% of those living there before October 7 have returned home, with new residential areas being developed in kibbutzim and moshavim. He stressed the importance of remembering the events of October 7 and their consequences, acknowledging it as a significant failure and a lasting trauma.
Betito also recalled the early months of the war when hostages were still held in Gaza, explaining how their presence necessitated extreme caution during military operations. He described a situation where the military identified the location of live hostages and prepared for a rescue operation, but ultimately retreated to avoid endangering them further. While uncertain at the time about the possibility of rescuing everyone, he considered the eventual outcome a significant achievement.
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