The Israel Defense Forces announced yesterday that it had completed the dismantlement of Hamas’s “military framework” in the northern Gaza Strip. Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said at a press conference that the military was now focused on dismantling Hamas in central and southern Gaza, reported the Times of Israel.
Hagari said that battles and sporadic rocket fire could still occur in northern Gaza, but Hamas’ infrastructure was out of action and could no longer carry out large-scale attacks. He said that towns in central Gaza were “dense and full of terrorists,” while Khan Younis in the south has an “underground city of branching tunnels.”
“There are no shortcuts when it comes to fighting terror,” Hagari said. “We attacked, and will continue to attack, and continue to deepen the achievement in these areas, but it takes time. It will take time. The fighting will continue throughout 2024. We are working according to a plan to achieve the goals of the war: to dismantle Hamas in the center and south, and continue all efforts, intelligence and operational, and military pressure, to return the hostages.”
Hagari said that forces would “continue to deepen the achievement” in northern Gaza, strengthen defenses along the Israel-Gaza border fence and focus on the central and southern parts of the territory. Of course, the cost of the IDF’s “achievement” for the people of Gaza has been enormous with 22,700 dead and another 58,000 wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, not to mention the hellish conditions that 2 million people have been forced into.
