On one side is Hamas, which warns that Israeli hostages in Gaza will not return home through military force. On the other, the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu who, in a video posted on X, issues an ultimatum to the militants of the terrorist group: “It's over, surrender, don't die for Sinwar.”
Hamas' warning
The warning from the spokesperson of the al Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, is relaunched in an audio: “We tell the Israelis that Netanyahu, Gallant and others in the war cabinet cannot bring back their prisoners without negotiations. The latest killing of a prisoner they tried to take back by force proves it,” Abu Ubaida said.
The same spokesperson then claimed that in ten days fighters from Beit Hanoun to Khan Younis “managed to partially and totally destroy more than 180 APC military vehicles, tanks and bulldozers. Our fighters conducted operations that included attacking soldiers on foot and carried out dozens of sniper attacks.”
Netanyahu's ultimatum
“In recent days, dozens of Hamas terrorists have surrendered to our forces. They lay down their weapons and surrender to our heroic soldiers – Netanyahu said – It will take more time, the war is in full swing, but for Hamas this is the beginning of the end. I say to the Hamas terrorists: it's over. Don't die for Sinwar (the group's leader, ed.) Surrender now.”
IDF: “Signs of Hamas giving in”
The IDF for its part speaks of “signs of surrender on the part of Hamas” in the Gaza Strip, while the offensive continues in the southern part. According to the Israel Defense Forces, “the level of damage and destruction creates command and control problems for Hamas. There are areas in the Gaza Strip that Hamas no longer controls militarily.” And he then reported that so far 7,000 operatives have been killed – including half of the commanders of the 24 battalions of the terrorist group – and 22,000 targets hit, the sources adding: “Despite the results, we are not close to the end of the fighting: we continue to operate with great intensity and we work to dismantle entire Hamas battalions.”
Tsahal radio reports that dozens of Hamas militiamen have surrendered to Israeli forces after losing all contact with the organization's leadership in the Gaza Strip which “has stopped exercising command and control functions”. Israeli forces have “identified changes in the behavior of Hamas leaders”, now hidden in Khan Yunis, a southern city besieged by the Israeli military, who have chosen to focus on their personal security rather than continue issuing instructions. The Institute for the Study of War said seven Hamas battalions have already stopped and another six “are close to collapse”.
The IDF also reported 30,000 Hamas fighters in Gaza before the conflict began following the terrible attack in Israel on October 7. The fighters – the Israeli forces explained to CNN – were divided into five brigades, 24 battalions and around 140 companies. Each unit capable of attacking with anti-tank missiles, snipers, rockets and mortars. Last Saturday, Israeli National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi said he believed that at least seven thousand of the thousands of people killed in Gaza since October 7 were “terrorists.”
IDF: new Hamas Shejaiya battalion commander killed
The Israeli army killed the new commander of Hamas's Shejaiya battalion, Emad Qariqa in an airstrike in the Gaza Strip. This was announced by the IDF. His predecessor Wissam Farhat was killed last December 2nd in an air attack in the Gaza Strip: he was one of the planners of Hamas' October 7th attack on Israel. The IDF says Qariqa was previously the deputy commander of the Shejaiya Battalion since 2019.
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