Halevy said, “Sixty days after the start of the war, our forces are now encircling the Khan Yunis area in the southern Gaza Strip.”
He added, “Whoever thought that the Israeli army would not be able to resume fire after the truce was mistaken, and Hamas now feels this well, knowing that many Hamas leaders have been liquidated in recent days.”
He added that the Israeli army moved to the third phase of the ground maneuver, “as we achieved control over many Hamas strongholds in the northern Gaza Strip, and we are now working against its centers of gravity in the south. We are working professionally, as we evacuate residents from battle areas and attack Hamas above and below the ground in the middle.” Joint air, sea and land campaigns with the introduction of ground forces into the region, which is protected by a strong cover of fire and qualitative and accurate intelligence information. Our forces confront many saboteurs and target them effectively and with high professionalism.”
He said, “The military pressure is causing enormous harm to Hamas, and it is moving forward with achieving all the goals of the war and returning the kidnapped people. We are doing everything to return them.”
Earlier Tuesday, the Israeli army confirmed that it was engaged in the fiercest clashes in “the heart of the Khan Yunis area,” in the southern Gaza Strip, after announcing the expansion of its ground operations, following the failure of negotiations to extend the truce that lasted for seven days.
An Israeli military commander said, “Israeli forces are engaged in their fiercest day of battle since the start of the ground operation in Gaza,” according to Reuters.
Israeli army spokesman Avichai Adraee said, through his account on the , to Agence France-Presse
Regarding the northern front, the Israeli Chief of Staff said, “In the north, at the end of the truce, Hezbollah chose to return to firing, and we expected that and were preparing for it. We are acting decisively against any threat to our land and exacting a price from Hezbollah that it is doing its best to hide. We are focusing on Gaza as well as Operations aimed at creating a better security reality in the north.”
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