Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Monday that the “intensive phase” of Israeli ground offensive in northern Gaza has ended, and it will soon be over in the Khan Younis area of the Strip’s south as well.
“Three months ago, together with the IDF chief of staff, director of the Shin Bet, and IDF generals, I presented to the cabinet the war plan in the Gaza Strip and its ties to other arenas. We made it clear that the intensive maneuvering stage would last for approximately three months,” Gallant said, referring to IOF (Israeli occupation forces).
“In the northern part of the Strip, this phase has ended. In southern Gaza, we will reach this achievement and [the intensive phase] will end soon,” Gallant said in a press conference, referring to the Khan Younis area.
“And in both places, the moment will come when we will move to the next phase,” he continued.
“We adapt our operations on the ground in accordance with the reality on the ground, as it becomes clearer to us, in accordance with military achievements, with the destruction of the enemy [Hamas], and in accordance with our intelligence,” Gallant said.
The Israeli minister claimed meanwhile, that the occupation forces managed to dismantle battalion frameworks of Hamas resistance group.
“In northern Gaza, All the [Hamas] battalion frameworks have been dismantled. We are now working to eliminate pockets of resistance. We will achieve this via raids, airstrikes, special operations, and additional activities,” he was quoted as saying by The Times of Israel.
In central Gaza, he also alleged, “we are destroying Hamas’ military industry, its production centers. These are the places that produce rockets, IEDs, explosives and other weapons to be used against us. The achievements [of our troops] are very impressive.”
In southern Gaza, Gallant said IOF “troops are focused on the head of the snake, the Hamas leadership. As part of this action… the Khan Younis Brigade is gradually disintegrating as a fighting force.”
Hours following Gallant remarks, a salvo of rockets were fired at the so-called settlement of Netivot in Gaza envelope, in what was described by the Israeli media as “one of the largest rocket barrages from Gaza in several weeks.”
The rocket launch following 102 days on the Israeli aggression contradicts remarks by Israeli officials who have been trying hard to secure a single military achievement on the battlefield.
Source: Israeli media and AlManar English Website
