Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel should control the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt and that the conflict in the Palestinian enclave and other regional fronts will likely endure for several months.
Netanyahu reaffirmed his pledge to destroy Hamas and repatriate all Israelis detained in Gaza during a press conference on Saturday as Israel began the 13th week of its campaign in Gaza.
"We need to control the Philadelphi Corridor, or more accurately, the southern stoppage point [of Gaza]." It has to be closed. Any alternative agreement would obviously not guarantee the demilitarization we desire," he declared.
Demilitarizing the area and eliminating Hamas in Gaza are two of Israel's stated goals in an effort to stop the armed group from carrying out another murderous and kidnapping rampage over international borders on October 7.
"This is the height of the war. We are engaged in combat on all fronts. It will take time to win this. The conflict will rage on for many more months, as stated by the chief of staff of the Israeli army, Netanyahu declared.
A unusual threat to strike Iran directly over the almost daily gunfire across the Israel-Lebanon border was also added by him.
Without providing further details, Netanyahu declared, "If [the Lebanese armed group] Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, expands the warfare, it will suffer blows that it has not dreamed of – and so too Iran."In addition to increasing tensions with other Iranian-aligned factions in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, the fight has sparked fears of a regional conflagration.
Since October 7, Israel has been bombing and attacking Gaza nonstop. At least 21,672 Palestinians have died, mostly women and children, and thousands more are trapped beneath the debris.
Nearly all 2.3 million people living in the besieged zone have also been forced to flee due to the military action.
Hamas killed almost 1,140 persons in Israel during the strikes on October 7.
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