The Importance of Rafah in Securing the Egyptian-Gaza Border

The failure in securing the Egyptian-Gaza border allowed for the extensive construction of smuggling tunnels by Hamas over the years. The influx of resources and materials needed for building a 350-mile tunnel system underground in Gaza largely came through Egypt. An emphasis on the bilateral relationship between Israel and Egypt led to Israel deferring security responsibilities to Egypt, contributing to the ability of Hamas to flourish in building tunnels. The significance of the Rafah operation lies in addressing these security failures along the Egyptian-Gaza border and preventing future exploitation by militant groups like Hamas.