IDF Chief Of Staff Ensures Israel Expands Military Operations In Gaza And Is Ready For Months-of-Month War

Israeli troops on land operations in Gaza. (Source: Israel Defense Forces)

JAKARTA - Israeli Chief of Staff Defense Forces (IDF) Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said it would expand operations in southern and central Gaza, claiming to almost destroy entire Hamas battalions in the northern region and be ready for months of war.

"I just left the Gaza Strip, I met forces in the north of the Gaza Strip. I was impressed by the way the pasuks fought, worked, and achieved the goals we set for them. The IDF is close to completing the destruction of the Hamas battalion in the northern Gaza Strip," Lieutenant General Halevi told a news conference in southern Israel., reported The Times of Israel December 27.

"We eliminated many enemies and commanders, some of them surrendered to our troops and we detained hundreds of prisoners. We destroyed a lot of infrastructure and underground weapons," he continued.

Lt. Gen. Halevi further warned of the possibility of continuing to confront Hamas militants in Gaza, ensuring that they would continue to attack and pursue the Palestinian militant group.

"We are likely to still clash with fighters (Hamas) in this region, we will continue to attack and pursue them in various ways," he explained of the fighting in northern Gaza.

"Now, we are focusing our efforts on the south of the Gaza Strip, Khan Younis, central camps, and beyond. And we will continue and deepen achievements in the northern part of the Gaza Strip," he said.

Lt. Gen. Halevi emphasized that the IDF would not allow the Hamas attack on Israel's southern region on October 7 to repeat itself in the future.

"This war has an important purpose and is not easy to achieve, this war is taking place in complex territory. That's why war will continue for months, and we will work with different methods, so that this achievement can be maintained for a long period of time," he explained, adding that the IDF continues to learn and adapt its combat methods in the Gaza Strip.

There is no magic solution, no shortcuts in eradicating militant groups as a whole, there is only a stubborn and determined struggle. And we are very, very determined," said Lt. Gen. Halevi.

"Our commitment to the return of the hostages remains the same, we will do everything we can to repatriate the hostages. In this war, we carry out a war that is fair and second to none... and this war has serious and painful consequences. Some of our best sons and daughters died in the struggle for the security of the country. We guarantee their deaths are not in vain," he concluded.