The Israeli military has said that it has achieved “operational control” of the Rafah crossing on the Gaza side, seizing it after receiving intelligence that it was being used for “terrorist purposes”, Al Jazeera reports.

The Israeli military said that in addition to killing 20 fighters and destroying Hamas infrastructure in the area, its forces have also located “three operational shafts”.

“The forces of the 401st Divisional Combat Team and the Divisional Combat Team of the Givati ​​Brigade continue to operate in the area against terrorists and terrorist infrastructures,” it said in a post on X.