Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that the Israeli military has successfully destroyed 19 out of 24 regional battalions belonging to Hamas in Gaza over the past six months.
In a statement ahead of a cabinet meeting, Netanyahu emphasized that Israel is close to achieving victory in the conflict. He highlighted the elimination of senior commanders and a significant number of Hamas terrorists, as well as the destruction of their rocket and weapon manufacturing facilities.
The conflict began in October last year after a surprise raid by Hamas, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 Israelis and the capture of over 200 hostages. Netanyahu declared war on Hamas and pledged to eradicate the militant group.
However, due to the high population density in Gaza, Israeli strikes have resulted in the deaths of over 33,000 Palestinians and extensive destruction. Netanyahu reiterated the need to continue fighting until all Hamas militants are eliminated, emphasizing that there will be no ceasefire until all Israeli hostages are freed.
Netanyahu’s characterization of these requests as “radical” and his assertion that Israel will not “yield to them” due to potential risks to the safety of its citizens and soldiers has sparked dissatisfaction among Israelis.
On Saturday evening, a large number of protesters gathered in Tel Aviv, urging Netanyahu to step down and urging for a resolution to be achieved with the Palestinian militants in order to secure the release of hostages.
