Sinwar, Head of Hamas
* Says if Gazans reach him first, “it will shorten the war”
Agency report
After touring the northern border and in the south in the past two days, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant says he was told by reserve soldiers that they are prepared “to fight until victory” and for as long as it takes. “If it takes a year, Israel must complete the mission,” he says they told him.
“There are fighters here who are prepared to do everything,” Gallant says during a press conference. “This determination characterizes the entire population of Israel,” he adds.
Gallant says Israeli forces engaged in heavy battles with terrorists in Gaza over Shabbat, are attacking Gaza City from both the south and north, and have entered urban areas.
The IDF is “fighting terrorists in command posts and tunnels,” he says, and destroying bunkers, tunnels and more.
“The fighting is progressing well, step after step. Many terrorists are being killed. We are taking apart Hamas battalion after battalion,” he says.
“Twelve Hamas battalion commanders have been killed and we will reach them all, and all the terrorists in the field.”
He says “Hamas has no limits” — as Israel saw on October 7 with its horrific assault and its brutal atrocities. “The Hamas leadership is responsible. We will get to that leadership,” he vows. “We will get to [Hamas Gaza chief] Yahya Sinwar and eliminate him. If the residents of Gaza get there ahead of us, that will shorten the war.”
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, during a press conference on November 4, 2023, shows a photograph of Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar, above (Channel 12 Screenshot)
Gallant says Israel “has no interest in a war with Hezbollah.” But he stresses that the IAF is reserving most of its forces for any potential development there. If Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah “makes a mistake” and decides to enter the war, “he will seal the destiny of Lebanon,” says Gallant.
“At the end of the war,” he promises, “there will be no more Hamas in Gaza. There will be no more security threat from Gaza on Israel, and Israel will have absolute freedom to take whatever security action it seeks against anyone who raises his head in Gaza [to threaten Israel].”
Answering a question, he repeats: “At the end of the war, there’ll be no Hamas in Gaza. Israel and the US are coordinated on this.”
Credit: Times of Israel
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