Jerusalem, Jul 3 (IANS): Israel has killed about 900 militants in Rafah since the beginning of Israel's ground assault on the southernmost city in Gaza in early May, Israel's military Chief Herzi Halevi said.

The casualties include "at least one battalion commander, many company commanders, and many operatives," Halevi said on Tuesday when inspecting a military logistic post in the southern Gaza Strip, according to a statement released by the Israel Defense Forces.

He added that the offensive in Rafah is expected to be completed within weeks, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Now the effort focuses on the destruction of the infrastructure and the destruction of the underground infrastructure, and it takes time," he said, noting, "This campaign is long because we don't want to leave Rafah with the infrastructure intact."

Before the launch of the ground offensive, Rafah was one of the few locations where civilians sought refuge from the massive Israeli bombardments across the Palestinian enclave.