The Chief of the Israeli General Staff Gen. Herzi Halevi said on Sunday that despite the withdrawal of some parts of the Gaza Strip, the six-month war in the Palestinian territory is far from over, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
„The war in Gaza continues and we have not stopped at all”, Halevi said and added: “Senior representatives of “Hamas” still in hiding. We will find them sooner or later. We will not leave active brigades of “Hamas” in no part of the strip“.
He said he felt personally responsible for the return of all hostages held in Gaza “as soon as possible”.
Halevi acknowledged that despite military progress, not all of Israel's goals have been achieved, including the return of hostages and the destruction of “Hamas” throughout the Gaza Strip.
Earlier on Sunday, the Israeli army announced it had withdrawn from the town of Khan Younis, the largest in the southern part of the Strip. However, Israel still has “significant forces” in Gaza, added Halevi.
The Israeli army said it has completed another stage in its preparations for a possible war on the northern front with Lebanon and Syria, Reuters reported. “In the past few days, another phase of the Northern Command's war readiness was completed, focusing on operational contingency stocks for the broad mobilization of IDF units when needed,” the army said in a statement titled “Readiness for a transition from defense to offense“.
Chief of the Israeli General Staff Halevi said on television that the Israel Defense Forces can deal with Iran. “We can act with force against Iran in places near and far. We cooperate with the US and with strategic partners in the region”, said Herzi Halevi.
Meanwhile, a delegation of “Hamas“ arrived in Cairo for armistice talks. The delegation will speak with the head of Egyptian intelligence, Abbas Kamel, according to a statement from “Hamas”.
The group reiterated its demands for a permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, the return of refugees and the exchange of Palestinian prisoners for Israeli hostages.
In its statement “Hamas“ also insists on aid for the Palestinian population and the beginning of the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.