Tel Aviv [Israel] : Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has vowed that the Israeli forces will get to Hamas Gaza chief Yahya Sinwar and eliminate him, Times of Israel reported on Saturday.
He has said that the forces are prepared to fight until victory “as long as it takes”.
After touring the northern border and in the south in the past two days, Gallant said that he was told by reserve soldiers that they are prepared “to fight until victory” and for as long as it takes. “If it takes a year, Israel must complete the mission,” he says they told him.
“There are fighters here who are prepared to do everything,” Gallant said during a press conference. “This determination characterizes the entire population of Israel”.
Gallant said that the Israeli forces have engaged in heavy battles with terrorists in Gaza over Shabbat, are attacking Gaza City from both the south and north, and have entered urban areas, Times of Israel reported.
He added that the IDF is “fighting terrorists in command posts and tunnels,” and destroying bunkers, tunnels and more.
“The fighting is progressing well, step after step. Many terrorists are being killed. We are taking apart Hamas battalion after battalion,” Times of Israel quoted him as saying.
Gallant added, “Twelve Hamas battalion commanders have been killed and we will reach them all, and all the terrorists in the field.”
The Israeli Defence Minister said that “Hamas has no limits” — as Israel saw on October 7 with its horrific assault and its brutal atrocities.
“The Hamas leadership is responsible. We will get to that leadership,” he vowed.
“We will get to [Hamas Gaza chief] Yahya Sinwar and eliminate him. If the residents of Gaza get there ahead of us, that will shorten the war,” Times of Israel quoted Gallant him as saying.
Earlier in the day, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi held an assessment with forces inside the Gaza Strip today, the military stated.
Halevi met with the commander of the 162nd Division, Brig. Gen. Itzik Cohen, and other officers.
In another development, Israel bombed the house belonging to Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza Strip, Times of Israel reported citing Arabic media.
As per the report, a missile was fired at the home in the Al-Shathi neighbourhood in northern Gaza. There were no immediate reports of casualties in the strike.
Several protestors rallied outside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s apartment on Jerusalem’s Azza Street, calling on the premier to resign over the terror attack on October 7 carried out by Hamas, Times of Israel reported.