Israel’s defense minister says army to storm entire Gaza City

By Zein Khalil

JERUSALEM (AA) – The Israeli army will storm the entire Gaza City and the northern part of the Gaza Strip until all Hamas’ infrastructure is completely destroyed, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Monday.

The army will remain in Gaza "until all Hamas infrastructure is eliminated,” Gallant said in statements cited by a statement released by the Defense Ministry.

"This action that is happening now, in the north of the Gaza Strip, will soon lead to shattering [Hamas in] the entire area of Gaza City and the north of the Gaza Strip," he added.

According to the statement, the defense minister observed the city of Jabaliya and Shejaiya neighborhoods in the northern Gaza Strip from the Israeli border.

“At the same time, the army has begun to work in the south of the Gaza Strip,” Gallant said. “We will continue until victory and until all goals are achieved: the elimination of Hamas and the return of the hostages to Israel.”

Israel resumed its military offensive on the Gaza Strip on Friday after the end of the week-long humanitarian pause with Hamas.

At least 15,899 Palestinians have been killed and more than 42,000 others injured in relentless air and ground attacks on the enclave since Oct. 7 following a cross-border attack by Hamas.

The Israeli death toll in the Hamas attack stood at 1,200, according to official figures.

Writing by Ahmed Asmar