Why Rafah is the fulcrum of the Gaza war

Analysis: To understand why Rafah is pivotal to both Hamas and Israel, one must examine its complex history which shaped its strategic importance

Jennifer Teale |
Rafah, the southernmost city in the Gaza Strip, has long been a geopolitical fault line, bearing the scars of over a century of upheavals. Today, it stands as Hamas’ last bastion and the fulcrum on which the current Gaza war will be decided. To understand why Rafah is pivotal to both Hamas and Israel, one must examine its complex history, which has shaped its strategic importance.

A city divided by empires

The modern history of Rafah begins in 1906, when the British drew a border through the city, splitting it directly between their burgeoning empire and the waning Ottoman Empire. This artificial division sowed the seeds of instability, fracturing families and disrupting commerce.
4 View gallery
לוחמי צוות הקרב של חטיבת הנח״ל השלימו לחימה של שבעה חודשים במרחב רפיח
לוחמי צוות הקרב של חטיבת הנח״ל השלימו לחימה של שבעה חודשים במרחב רפיח
IDF troops in Rafah
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
In 1947, the United Nations Partition Plan assigned Rafah to the Arab territories, and it subsequently fell under Egyptian control after Israel’s War of Independence. Yet Egypt never formally annexed Rafah, leaving it in political limbo.
Rafah’s fractured identity deepened after Israel seized control of the city during the 1967 Six-Day War. Israel then invested in infrastructure and attempted to stabilize the area, but underlying tensions persisted.
The 1979 peace treaty between Israel and Egypt nevertheless reinstated the 1906 border, again splitting Rafah into Gazan and Egyptian halves. This division became a flashpoint for trafficking and violence, epitomized by the creation of the Philadelphi Corridor, a buffer zone that would later become synonymous with tunnel-based terror.

A hub of smuggling and resistance

The Oslo Accords of the 1990s transferred control of Rafah’s Gazan side to the Palestinian Authorities, but the area’s descent into chaos was swift. Trafficking tunnels proliferated, enabling the flow of weapons, money, and militants.
By 2005, when Israel unilaterally disengaged from the Gaza Strip, Rafah had by then become a fortress of Hamas’ military infrastructure. This included a sophisticated tunnel network that connected Gaza to Egypt, facilitating a robust supply chain for Hamas’ military operations.
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מתחם ליצור רקטות ואמצעי לחימה שהושמד ברפיח
מתחם ליצור רקטות ואמצעי לחימה שהושמד ברפיח
Rockets found by the IDF in Rafah
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
Rafah’s strategic value was highlighted in the years following Israel’s disengagement. The abduction of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2006, carried out near Rafah, marked the beginning of a series of high-profile Hamas operations in the area.
Israeli military campaigns, including Operations Cast Lead and Protective Edge, also repeatedly targeted Rafah’s infrastructure but fell short of dismantling Hamas’ hold on the city. Each conflict instead further entrenched Rafah as a hub of resistance and terror.

The current stakes

In the ongoing Gaza war, Rafah represents the convergence of all Israeli objectives: dismantling Hamas’ military capabilities, rescuing hostages and securing long-term peace. The city’s dense urban environment and labyrinthine tunnel network make it a formidable stronghold for Hamas.
Reports suggest that senior Hamas leaders and Israeli hostages are also likely hidden in Rafah, emphasizing the city’s strategic and symbolic importance.
Israel’s delay in launching a ground offensive reflects the operational challenges and political calculations at work. A decisive maneuver requires ground, air, and artillery coordination to neutralize Hamas’ last remaining division here.
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לוחמי צוות הקרב של חטיבת הנח״ל השלימו לחימה של שבעה חודשים במרחב רפיח
לוחמי צוות הקרב של חטיבת הנח״ל השלימו לחימה של שבעה חודשים במרחב רפיח
IDF forces in Rafah
(צילום: צה"ל)
Because of Rafah’s importance, this operation is not merely a tactical necessity but a strategic imperative. Without control of the city, Hamas’ military and logistical operations will persist, perpetuating the cycle of violence.

The Philadelphi Corridor: A key battleground

The Philadelphi Corridor, which separates Gazan Rafah from its Egyptian counterpart, is a critical focal point. Destroying the tunnels that crisscross this buffer zone is essential to cutting off Hamas’ lifelines.
However, this task is fraught with complexities, as the tunnels are both deep and expansive, posing significant risks to Israeli forces. Nevertheless, eliminating this network is a non-negotiable step in Israel’s broader strategy to dismantle Hamas.

The path forward

Given its strategic importance, Rafah’s fate will likely determine the outcome of the Gaza War. For Israel, securing Rafah is crucial to achieving its objectives of dismantling Hamas and restoring security to its southern communities. For Hamas, retaining control of Rafah is essential to its survival as a governing and military entity.
The international community’s role therefore cannot be ignored. Any military operation in Rafah will undoubtedly draw widespread scrutiny and condemnation, but Israel’s security calculus now leaves no room for alternative strategies. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza emphasizing the need for a balanced approach that prioritizes both military objectives and civilian welfare.
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יואב זיתון ברפיח
יואב זיתון ברפיח
The Philadelphi Corridor
(Photo: Yoav Zitun)
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Conclusion

Rafah’s history as a city of strategic importance has brought it to the center of the current conflict. Its tunnels, fortifications, and symbolic weight make it Hamas’ last stronghold and Israel’s ultimate challenge.
Jennifer TealeJennifer Teale
The outcome of this battle will shape the region’s future, either paving the way to a fragile peace or perpetuating the cycle of conflict. As such, the world watches closely, aware that the fate of Rafah may well decide the fate of Gaza.
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