Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israeli forces now control more than 60% of the Gaza Strip and are moving toward securing 70% of the territory, as military operations against Hamas continue, according to Israel National News.
Opening the weekly Cabinet meeting, Netanyahu also addressed a deadly shooting attack in the Sharon region, saying Israeli security forces remain engaged in counterterrorism operations on all fronts.
On Gaza, the Israeli leader said military pressure on Hamas was intensifying.
"In the Gaza Strip, we are squeezing Hamas from all sides. We currently hold over 60% of the Strip's territory, and we will soon reach 70%. We are not allowing them to rearm or harm us, and we are also eliminating their senior commanders," Netanyahu said.
The remarks come as Israel continues its campaign against Hamas following the war that erupted after the group's October 2023 attack on Israel.
Netanyahu also outlined Israel's ongoing military operations in Lebanon, saying Israeli forces had killed hundreds of militants and uncovered extensive underground infrastructure.
"Our forces have eliminated 350 terrorists in the past week alone. They captured the Beaufort Ridge, where they discovered a massive underground infrastructure. We are completing the elimination of the terrorist villages adjacent to our border," he said.
"We are striking them very hard, and we know that Hezbollah is on the run. We will not allow firing at our territory or our communities, and we will act accordingly," Netanyahu added.
While condemning the deadly shooting attack in the Sharon region, Netanyahu said, “We are fighting terrorism on all fronts. In Judea and Samaria and along the seam line, the IDF, ISA, and the Israel Police foil hundreds of attacks every year, though unfortunately not all of them.”
Referring to Sunday's attack near Kochav Yair, he said an assailant managed to kill an Israeli citizen and injure others before being neutralized. Netanyahu praised local rapid-response teams and police officers for their actions and said an accomplice had also been apprehended.
– Agencies
