The Chief of Staff of the Israeli Army, Eyal Zamir, emphasized that the strategic objectives of the ongoing aggression on the Gaza Strip have not changed, clarifying that the top priority remains the complete disarmament and dismantling of the organizational and military structure of Hamas. This came during an inspection tour conducted by Zamir in the city of Rafah, south of the Strip, today, Friday, where he was accompanied by commanders of the Southern Command and the Gaza Division to review the progress of field operations.
Zamir explained that the Israeli forces stationed inside the Strip are on high alert to transition from defensive tasks to offensive operations at any moment. He indicated that the army will not tolerate any security breaches and will systematically work to prevent the Palestinian resistance from regaining its combat capabilities or restoring its infrastructure damaged during the confrontations.
In the context of his review of the field situation, the Chief of Staff claimed that the army had achieved unprecedented military successes by destroying all front-line battalions of Hamas. He affirmed that current operations are focused on deepening clearance operations in controlled areas, with special attention to tracking and destroying tunnel networks and underground infrastructure.
Zamir also pointed out that military units are currently deployed along the security path known as the 'Yellow Line,' and are imposing full control over all entrances and gates leading to the Gaza Strip. He stressed that operations to remove what he described as 'terrorist' infrastructure are continuing according to a specific timetable aimed at ensuring that security threats from the Strip do not return in the future.
The senior military official indicated that all field movements are carried out in full coordination with directives issued by the political level in Tel Aviv. He affirmed that the army leadership has ready plans for military decisive action on various fronts, stressing that the offensive spirit with which operations are managed in Gaza is the same that will be applied in confronting any threats on other fronts.
These statements come as a continuation of previous political stances, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu linked, at the end of last January, the start of Gaza's reconstruction with its transformation into a completely demilitarized zone. Netanyahu affirmed at the time that any ceasefire agreement in its advanced stages must ensure the disarmament of Palestinian factions as a basic condition for stability.
It is worth noting that the provisions of the second phase of the circulating ceasefire proposal include the disarmament of Hamas and other factions in exchange for additional withdrawals by the Israeli army and the start of the reconstruction process. These developments come at a time when international reports indicate that the cost of rebuilding what the war destroyed could reach 70 billion dollars, amidst a bloody toll exceeding 72,000 martyrs and almost complete destruction of vital facilities in the Strip.
What applies to Gaza applies to the rest of the fronts; we will continue to focus and eradicate threats with determination and an offensive spirit.
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Israeli Chief of Staff from Rafah: Disarming Gaza and Dismantling Hamas are Non-Negotiable Goals