IDF moving to “full offence” against Hamas. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said on Tuesday that as the counteroffensive against the terrorist attacks continues, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) are moving to “full offence” against Hamas targets.
In an address to troops deployed along the Gaza border, the Israeli Defence Minister said, “I have released all the restraints. We have [regained] control of the area and we are moving to a full offence.”
He asserted that Gaza will “never go back to what it was”.
“You will have the ability to change the reality here. You have seen the prices [being paid], and you will get to see the change. Hamas wanted a change in Gaza; it will change 180 degrees from what it thought,” The Times of Israel quoted the minister as saying in a report.
“They will regret this moment, Gaza will never go back to what it was,” the Defence minister said, adding that Israel, with all its might and, without compromise, would eliminate “whoever comes to decapitate, murder women, Holocaust survivors”.
Hinting at the ongoing counter-offensive continuing for several months, he added, “We will return here, to Be’eri, in a few months, and the situation will be different. We will resettle the kibbutz until its last meter.”
Following Gallant’s speech on Tuesday, the IDF’s top spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, stated that killing senior Hamas members was a top priority, according to The Times of Israel.
Informing that the troops were still looking for Hamas terrorists in southern Israel after the multi-pronged terror attacks on Saturday morning, Hagari added, “The directive to the forces is clear. Find terrorists and kill them.”
“We are making a strong defence on the border. There were infiltration attempts today, but the terrorists were eliminated before they reached the fence,” he added
He claimed that the bodies of 103 terrorists were discovered on Kibbutz Be’eri, and that Hamas gunmen murdered more than 100 Israelis on the kibbutz.
Meanwhile, as part of the ongoing counter-offensive against Hamas, dozens of Israeli Air Force fighters struck over 200 targets in the Al-Furqan neighbourhood, a spot from which Hamas launches attacks, according to a report.
As IDF moving to “full offence” against Hamas, in a post shared on X, IDF stated, “Dozens of Israeli Air Force fighter jets struck over 200 targets in the Al-Furqan neighbourhood–a terrorist hotspot from which Hamas devises and executes their attacks.
This is the 3rd counterstrike in the area during the last 24 hours, in which 450 targets were struck.”
It added that dozens of fighter jets hit over 70 targets through Darje Tupah in Gaza on Tuesday night.
“Dozens of IAF fighter jets attacked more than 70 targets throughout Darje Tupah in Gaza tonight. The Darje Tupah area serves as a terrorist nest for the terrorist organization Hamas and from where many activities against Israel are carried out,” the Israeli Air Force posted on X.
It also stated that it will continue to take strong measures against the terror infrastructure that allows Hamas to plan and carry out attacks on Israel.
Meanwhile, the IDF confirmed on Wednesday that the first plane carrying US weapons arrived at the Nevatim Airbase in southern Israel. It went on to say that cooperation between the two militaries is critical to ensuring regional security and stability during times of war.
According to The Times of Israel, Israeli security forces also bombed the home of Mohammed Deif’s father, the head of Hamas’ military wing who is suspected of being a key plotter in the terror attacks.
As the war against Hamas entered its fifth day, the death toll from the terror group’s rocket and ambush attacks in Israel surpassed 1,200, with more than 2,700 injured and 50 confirmed hostages or missing, according to the IDF.
It went on to say that over 4,500 rockets have been fired from Gaza thus far.
On the other hand, over 770 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) air raids, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, with another 4,000 injured in the ongoing counter-offensive.
Among the dead are 140 children and 120 women, the ministry spokesperson said.
