Gaza offensive will not end until Hamas destroyed: Israel defense minister

Jerusalem, Nov 15 (EFE).- Israel’s military offensive in the Gaza Strip will not stop until it has achieved its main two missions to destroy Hamas and get its hostages back, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Wednesday.

Gallant spoke at the headquarters of the Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv, at the beginning of a meeting with White House Coordinator for the Middle East Brett McGurk, who is visiting Israel Wednesday as part of a tour that will take him to other countries in the region to mediate a solution to the war in Gaza.

“The State of Israel will not stop its operations in Gaza until our troops fulfill their missions – destroying Hamas and returning our hostages home to their families,” the minister told McGurk, according to a Defense Ministry statement.

Gallant briefed the coordinator on operational developments as Israeli troops advance into Gaza and attack Hamas infrastructure, said a Defense statement about the meeting.

Gallant and McGurk also addressed the hostage situation “at length, sharing intelligence and details on the status of those held captive by Hamas, as well as the efforts to return them home.”

The Israeli minister thanked the US administration for its continued support and deep partnership, a day after the White House backed Israel’s claims that Palestinian militias in Gaza use hospitals as military facilities.

White House National Security spokesman John Kirby said Tuesday that the US has information that Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad use some hospitals in the Strip, including al-Shifa, and the tunnels beneath them for “military operations” and to hold hostages and weapons.

Hours later, the Israeli Army confirmed that it had entered the hospital for a “localized raid” Wednesday morning after five days of siege.

The defense ministry statement also said the parties also discussed humanitarian efforts and challenges in facilitating humanitarian aid to civilians, as well as the role of the international community in enabling increased delivery of urgent supplies. EFE

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