The End of the Tunnel: IDF Forces Tell Trapped Hamas Terrorists They Have Two Options—Surrender or Death
The IDF's Nahal and Golani brigades are intensifying pressure in eastern Rafah, systematically destroying hundreds of meters of tunnels and forcing 17 terrorists to surrender or be killed due to acute shortages of food and water.
The intense operational pressure applied by the IDF's Nahal and Golani Brigades in eastern Rafah is systematically dismantling Hamas’s last strongholds in the area, forcing terrorists to emerge from the vast subterranean tunnel network. With hundreds of meters of tunnels destroyed and over 60 terror targets hit in the past week alone, the IDF is tightening the noose on the remaining forces, who are now isolated and desperate.
According to the IDF, the few remaining terrorists hiding underground have only two outcomes left: "surrender or death."
Tactical Success and Forced Surrender
The pressure exerted by the Nahal and Golani Brigade Combat Teams (BCT), operating under the command of the Gaza Division (143), has begun to break the will of the deeply entrenched terrorists.
A senior officer in the Golani Brigade confirmed that the fighting has transitioned into guerrilla warfare, with the terrorists hiding in sophisticated, segmented tunnel systems, waiting for an operational opportunity to attack IDF forces.
The 'Different' Mentality of Survival
The Golani BCT has been focused on the southern Rafah area for the past three weeks, concentrating on the subterranean threat after most above-ground terror infrastructure was destroyed.
Despite the desperate conditions, a senior officer in the Golani Brigade noted that the terrorists possess a different mentality regarding survival:
"The term 'hunger' is different for them. Consumption is low. And yet, when the terrorists were arrested, they said they came out because they had run out of food."
The officer explained that the captured terrorists had attempted to move to a different area, reasoning, "We'll attack and we'll also reach an area where we can eat," before being apprehended. This suggests that the remaining terrorists are operating without contact with the central Hamas leadership and are being forced into making high-risk moves to obtain basic necessities. The most senior remaining commander in the immediate area is reportedly Hamas’s commander for eastern Rafah.
The operation against the dozens of tunnel openings scattered throughout the area is described as systematic, lengthy, and based on continuous pursuit and deception. The IDF estimates that the vast majority of terrorists who were underground have already been eliminated. The mission will continue until all tunnels in the sector are closed and the objective is fully completed.
