The far-right Israeli Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, stated on Monday that Israel will ultimately occupy the Gaza Strip and establish Jewish settlements there. This comes despite the ceasefire agreement that ended more than two years of the Israeli war of genocide on the besieged enclave.
اضافة اعلان
In statements to Israeli Radio, Smotrich added that the occupation has not abandoned the goal of destroying the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), saying: "We are giving U.S. President Donald Trump the opportunity to do it his way. If he does not succeed in eliminating Hamas, the IDF will receive international legitimacy and American support to do it ourselves."
The leader of the far-right Religious Zionism party indicated that the Israeli occupation army is preparing plans in case Hamas does not commit to surrendering its weapons. He stated: "An ultimatum will soon be directed to Hamas regarding the handover of all weapons, headquarters, and tunnels. If they comply, that is good. If not, we will have the legitimacy to act."
Military Operations and Claims
On the other hand, the occupation army announced that forces from the 7th Brigade have concluded a three-month mission in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, claiming they destroyed 8.5 kilometers of tunnels in the area.
The army added that direct clashes occurred with dozens of gunmen during tunnel-clearing operations in Rafah. The military statement noted that they "thwarted an infiltration attempt by 6 gunmen toward a military site, neutralizing them completely," and added that "3 gunmen were neutralized during an attack on a tunnel shaft, where 6 other bodies were found inside."
The deputy commander of the 7th Brigade remarked: "We have transitioned from offensive operations to active defensive missions in Rafah during recent months."
Background
On October 7, 2023, Israel launched a war of genocide on the Gaza Strip with American support that lasted two years, resulting in the martyrdom of more than 72,000 Palestinians and the injury of over 171,000 others. The war destroyed more than 90% of the infrastructure, and Israel continues to occupy over 53% of the Strip.
