(April 3, 2025 / JNS) IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir visited Gaza this week alongside Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) Director Ronen Bar to assess the progress of ongoing operations against Hamas in the southern Gaza Strip.

During the visit, Zamir addressed troops near Rafah, stating that the Israel Defense Forces are intensifying their offensive at a deliberate and determined pace. He emphasized that the military effort would continue until all Israeli hostages are returned and declared the mission far from over.

The visit comes amid a renewed push by the IDF in the Rafah region, with a focus on dismantling remaining Hamas infrastructure and disrupting command activity in what is believed to be one of the terrorist group’s last strongholds.

According to the IDF, the 14th Combined Combat Team, operating under the 143rd Gaza Division, has completed the encirclement of the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood in western Rafah. The area, known for its dense civilian population, has been the site of recent clashes and intelligence-led raids.

Troops uncovered and neutralized dozens of weapons caches, underground facilities, and rocket launchers during the operation. Two rockets and a launcher aimed at Israeli territory were located inside a residential building. Several suspects were arrested and transferred for further interrogation.

Military officials stated that the IDF remains committed to dismantling the terrorist infrastructure in Gaza while working to secure the return of the remaining hostages taken during the Oct. 7, 2023 attack. That attack, carried out by Hamas operatives who infiltrated Israeli border communities, resulted in the deaths of more than 1,200 people and the abduction of over 240 individuals.

The Rafah area remains a critical objective for Israeli forces due to the suspected presence of senior Hamas figures and significant weapons stockpiles. Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, have reiterated that continued military pressure is essential to force Hamas to negotiate further hostage releases.

Zamir’s presence in Gaza, alongside the head of Israel’s internal security service, signals a continued focus on high-intensity operations in the south as the IDF prepares for additional phases of the campaign. The military has indicated it will sustain its operations until its strategic goals, including the neutralization of Hamas’s military capability and the safe return of hostages, are achieved.