Israeli Defense Minister Expects Fighting with Hamas to Continue for Two Months After Ceasefire

Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant met with the Israeli military. (Wikimedia Commons/Ariel Hermoni/Defense Ministry)

JAKARTA - Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Israel's military operations against Hamas would continue after a brief ceasefire that began on Friday, and fighting was expected to continue for at least another two months.

"This will be a short respite. When this is over, the fighting will continue strongly, and will create pressure that will allow the return of more hostages," said Defense Minister Gallant while visiting Israeli troops on Thursday, reported by CNN, November 24.

"Fighting is expected to last at least another two months," he added.

Minister of Defense Gallant conveyed this when meeting Israeli troops from the Navy's Shayetet 13 commando unit.

"What is required of you in this pause is to reorganize the forces, prepare, investigate, supply weapons and be ready to continue," he told the troops, quoted by The Times of Israel.

"There will be a continuation, because we need to complete the victory and create encouragement for the next group of hostages, who will only return because of the pressure," continued Minister of Defense Gallant.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military said the hostage handover process would be complicated, warning the agreement could change at any time.

"Nothing is final until it actually happens. And even in the midst of that process, changes can occur at any time," said Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Admiral Daniel Hagari.

He said the Israeli army continues to fight in the Gaza Strip “at this time,” pointing out that once the pause takes effect, IDF soldiers will deploy along the “ceasefire line” established within the strip.

The ceasefire line effectively keeps Israeli forces in northern Gaza, and they will not move south during the lull in fighting, an IDF spokesperson told CNN.