Title: Israeli Army: We Are Close to Dismantling Hamas Battalion in Rafah

Israeli Chief of Staff Hertzi Halevi stated on Monday that "we are nearly able to dismantle the Hamas battalion in Rafah," after weeks of fighting in the southern Gaza Strip city. He added, "It is clear that we are approaching the stage where we can say we have dismantled the Hamas battalion in Rafah." Halevi noted, however, that "its defeat does not mean that there are no longer any terrorists, but that it is no longer capable of operating as a combat unit."