Israel takes control of the Rimal neighborhood in Gaza, center of Hamas’s political power

The Israeli Army announced this Wednesday that it has secured full control of the Rimal neighborhood, in the heart of the city of Loop and center of political, administrative and military power of Hamaswhere he has discovered a complex network of tunnels that connect government buildings with the residences in the area of ​​the leaders of the Islamist group, such as Yahya Sinwar or Mohamed Deif.

“The complex includes a large network of tunnels that connect hiding places terrorists, offices, apartments and residences belonging to senior Hamas leaders. “This complex, both above and below ground, was a center of power for its military and political wings,” Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lermer reported.

The area that the Army now claims to control after a month of intense fighting since it entered Gaza City, includes Palestine Square, where numerous government buildings are located and, according to Israel, is the “center of the Hamas tunnel network, which connects with the strongholds of the group’s leaders and with the Shifa or Rantisi hospitals.”

Israel has widely accused Hamas of using the hospitals in the Strip as military barracks, hideouts and weapons warehouses, and, under that pretext, it has besieged and attacked almost all the hospitals in the north of the Palestinian enclave, the latest being Kamal Adwan, in Beit Lahia; and Al Awda, in Jabalia.

In the battles of the last days in Rimal, the elite units Shaldag, Shayetet and Yahalom participated, and “they were eliminated” around 600 fighters from the al Qasam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, “both in land and air operations”, indicated the Army.

Supplies in the tunnels

Lermer explained that tunnel shafts have been found in the residences and offices of the Hamas senior officials’ neighborhood, which can even be accessed by elevators, which allowed them “escaping and staying in hiding places for long periods.” Numerous weapons have also been found inside the tunnels.

“It includes armored doors and hiding places. In some cases, food products, water and electrical infrastructure were found that allowed prolonged stays”Lermer indicated about this network of tunnels, which was used, the military claims, by the organization’s leaders, including Ismail Haniyeh, Yahya Sinwar and Mohamed Deif, to direct the operational activity of Hamas.

Haniyeh is the head of Hamas’s political bureau, but has been in self-exile in Qatar for more than a decade; But Sinwar and Deif are still supposedly hidden in the underground tunnels of the Strip, and are considered the true shadow power within the Islamist organization.

Sinwar is the leader of the group within the enclave and whom all analysts point to as the person through whom all important decisions pass and as the intellectual author of the brutal Hamas attack against Israeli territory on October 7, which left more than 1,200 dead. dead and 240 kidnapped.

While Deif is the military chief of the al Qasam Brigades, whom Israel believed to be a quadriplegic for years, but videos found during the ground incursion could indicate that he is in better health, according to what Hebrew media published today citing military sources.

In addition to taking control of Rimal, Lermer reported that Israeli troops continue their operations in other parts of the Strip considered Hamas strongholds, such as Shujaiya, a neighborhood on the outskirts of Gaza City that has been the scene of fierce fighting in recent days. and the point in the northern half of the enclave where Israel has encountered the greatest military opposition.

Lermer pointed out that they still operate in “limited areas” of Yabalia, in the north of the Strip, after yesterday they achieved almost total control of that city, after the “surrender” of some 500 alleged Hamas members, after more than a week of harsh armed clashes there as well.

“Khan Yunis, a center of gravity of Hamas”

After consolidating its control in the north, Israel focuses its military efforts on Khan Younis, the Hamas stronghold in the south and birthplace of Yahya Sinwar, in whose tunnels Israel believes he is hiding. In fact, Israeli media publish today that the troops believed they were about to capture him in the tunnels of that city on two occasions recently, but he finally escaped.

“Khan Yunis is a center of gravity for Hamas. “It is a great challenge to wage an urban war in that area, since the entire civilian sphere has been armed by Hamas.”said the spokesperson.

For their part, the al Qasam Brigades assured today that in recent days they have put up strong resistance against “the Zionist forces of occupation” in Gaza City, Jabalia and Khan Yunis; and that they have killed Israeli soldiers by attacking military vehicles and with snipers.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated that he will continue “the war until the end”diluting hopes of a ceasefire in the coming days as negotiations take place in Cairo for a new truce.

Haniye traveled to Egypt today from Qatar to participate in the talks, sponsored by those two countries, where it is presumed that the head of Mossad, David Barnea, is also present, who this week met in Europe with the emir of Qatar and the head of the CIA, William Burns, to address the truce.