Hamas militants have two options, surrender or be killed - Gallant
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant (photo: Getty Images)
While Hamas leaders in Qatar enjoy a life of luxury, the terrorist group's commanders on the ground in Gaza are dying and surrendering by the thousands, says Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
"Everyone who is on the ground knows perfectly well what is happening - hundreds of terrorists are surrendering, thousands have been killed, weapons have been destroyed, terrorists are surrendering today, yesterday - above and below ground, these are obvious things," he said.
The Minister emphasized that this war cannot be ended in points, only by knockout.
"We must eliminate Hamas, if we want to live in this place, we must know that every terrorist within a radius of hundreds of kilometers of Israel must be destroyed. There is only one outcome against an act of this kind that was carried out, and that is the elimination of Hamas' military and governmental capabilities," he added.
Gallant said that in the end, the outcome of the war will be absolutely clear.
"The difference between a terrorist in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, in Beit Lahiya, or Beit Hanoun, or Shjaya, and a terrorist in the south is only what the IDF will do, and no one will be able to help him. If the IDF acts, the battalion will fall apart and the line will be destroyed. And he has two options - either he will surrender or he will end up dead, there is no third option. So this is the IDF's mission, this is the IDF's ability," he emphasized.
Israel's war with the Palestinian group Hamas
On October 7, 2023, Hamas militants launched a military attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip. In the first few days, radical Islamists killed 1,200 civilians and soldiers and kidnapped about 250 people.
In late October, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a ground military operation in the Gaza Strip. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the purpose of the operation was to completely destroy Hamas' operational and governmental capabilities, as well as to release hostages.
On January 22, the Israeli Defense Forces launched a new major offensive on the western part of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. The operation is accompanied by large-scale fighting.
January 24 Israel and Hamas reach a preliminary agreement on a one-month ceasefire and a new deal to release hostages.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Israel to stop causing additional damage to civilians in the war zone.
