The Minister of Defense of Israel, Yoav Gallant, announced this Monday a “complete siege” of the Gaza Strip as the fight against Hamas continues.
“I ordered a complete siege of the Gaza Strip. No electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is closed,” stated Gallant. “We are fighting against human animals and we will act accordingly,” he added.
Since Hamas seized power in the territory from rival Palestinian forces in 2007, Israel and Egypt have maintained varying degrees of blockade on Gaza.
The spokesman of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, announced this Monday that Israeli troops have regained control of all the border towns in the Gaza Strip. In the early morning there were some isolated incidents, but, “at this stage, there is no fighting among the communities,” although Hamas fighters may remain in the area, he warned.
In addition, the senior Israeli military stated that the leader of Hamas (Arabic acronym for the Islamic Resistance Movement), Yahya Sinwar, “is a dead man.” “The military and political leadership (of Hamas), all its assets, will be attacked and condemned,” he said.
According to the latest estimates, more than 700 Israelis have died since the start of the Hamas offensive and 2,382 people have received medical care in the country’s hospitals, while in Gaza 493 Palestinians have died and another 2,300 have been injured. .
Israel claims to have regained control of all Gaza border towns
The spokesman of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, announced this Monday that Israeli troops have regained control of all the border towns in the Gaza Strip, local media reported.
According to the spokesman, the clashes between the IDF and Hamas militants in recent hours have been “isolated” and there is currently no fighting in any of the towns. However, Hagari warned that “it is possible that there are still terrorists in the area.”
In addition, the senior Israeli military stated that the leader of Hamas (Arabic acronym for the Islamic Resistance Movement), Yahya Sinwar, “is a dead man.” “The military and political leadership (of Hamas), all its assets, will be attacked and condemned,” he said.
Similarly, Hagari described the mobilization of reservists as the largest and fastest in Israel’s history. According to the rear admiral, in 48 hours the IDF mobilized 300,000 troops, an amount that exceeded the needs of some units. He also stated that there is no shortage of equipment or food, as deliveries are on the way.
Regarding the security of the area surrounding Gaza, the spokesman assured that all gaps opened by the border fence will be physically protected by tanks supported by combat helicopters and drones.
Currently, the Israel Defense Forces have evacuated 15 of the 24 towns located in dangerous areas and will continue to relocate residents in the coming hours. The city of Sderot cannot be evacuated at the moment, explained Hagari.
For his part, Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced that he had ordered a general siege on Gaza: “No electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is blocked.”
“We are fighting against human animals and we will act accordingly,” the official added.
