Why Israel can't dismantle Hamas?
Israel's military on Wednesday said it had achieved full 'operational control' of the so-called Philadelphi Corridor along Gaza's border with Egypt.
Israel Defense Forces troops are currently engaged in a military offensive in the nearby southern Gaza city of Rafah. Israel says that numerous smuggling tunnels belonging to Hamas run beneath the corridor.
The narrow corridor is part of a demilitarized zone along Israel's border with Egypt — established following the 1979 peace treaty between the two countries — with both sides only allowed to station a small number of troops and guards there.
In 2005, Israel withdrew its troops from the Gaza Strip, including the corridor. Egypt warned earlier in the conflict that an Israeli "occupation" of the corridor would breach the bilateral treaty's terms.
Meanwhile, Israel's military says it wants to dismantle what it calls the last Hamas brigade in Rafah. But many experts warn this war may never end, as Hamas will continue to draw new recruits. Could this be an endless war?
Topics: Benjamin Netanyahu, Hamas, Israel, Palestine, War On Gaza
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