Israel Admits The New Phase Of Fighting In The Gaza Strip Will Be Difficult: Target Hamas, Minimize Civilian Losses

JAKARTA - Israel estimates fighting in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinians entering a new phase will be difficult, a government spokesman said on Tuesday.

The spokesman also said that his party was open to "constructive feedback" in reducing losses to civilians, as long as the suggestion was consistent with its goal of destroying Hamas.

"Now we are continuing the second phase. The second stage will be difficult for the military to do," spokeswoman Eylon Levy told reporters.

It is known that the Israeli military began carrying out operations in the southern region of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, where its population has swelled by as many as 1 million refugees from the northern region and faced great international pressure, including from Washington, to limit civilian casualties.

"Every constructive input we get, strategic military advice is serious about how to target Hamas while minimizing losses to civilians, of course we will convey it," Levy explained.

But he said the suggestion must be in line with the goal of destroying Palestinian militant groups.

"We will continue our campaign to destroy Hamas, a campaign that the United States has agreed with us on the strategic goals of this war, that this war cannot end if Hamas is still standing," he explained.

Levy added that Israel is making many efforts to reduce losses to civilians.

"We don't choose the battlefield, Hamas chooses the battlefield," said Levy.

As previously reported, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced the expansion of its troops' ground operations in Gaza on Sunday, after a ceasefire with Hamas ended last week.

"IDF continues and expands ground operations against Hamas strongholds throughout the Gaza Strip," IDF spokesman Laksama Muda Daniel

Meanwhile, Israeli Chief of Staff Defense Forces (IDF) Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi confirmed that his forces were starting to operate in southern Gaza, as ground operations north of the enclave continued.

Citing The Times of Israel, he confirmed operations in the southern region, as powerful as operations carried out in the northern region.

"We have the ability to do so in the most comprehensive way, and just as we did it with strength and overall north of the Gaza Strip, we are also doing it now in the south of the Gaza Strip, and we are also continuing it. to deepen achievements in the north of the Gaza Strip," said Lt. Gen. Halevi.