The Israeli military has taken control of much of Hamas’ strategic tunnel system in the city of Khan Younis and believes it is making progress in its hunt for Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, according to two Israeli defense officials.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that Israeli forces had destroyed or captured dozens of tunnels used by Hamas militants to launch attacks and move weapons and fighters across the Gaza Strip.
They said that the operation, dubbed “Operation Guardian of the Walls”, had also inflicted heavy casualties on Hamas and damaged its command and control structure.
The officials claimed that Israel had intelligence that Sinwar and other Hamas leaders, including Mohammed Deif and Marwan Issa, had been hiding in Khan Younis since the early stages of the war, which began on May 10.
They said that Israel had targeted their locations with airstrikes and artillery fire, but could not confirm if they had been killed or injured.
Sinwar, who was elected as Hamas’ leader in Gaza in 2017, is considered one of the most hardline and influential figures in the Islamist group. He spent 22 years in Israeli prisons before being released in a prisoner swap in 2011.
Deif, who heads Hamas’ military wing, the Qassam Brigades, is one of Israel’s most wanted terrorists. He has survived several assassination attempts by Israel and is believed to be the mastermind behind many of Hamas’ rocket attacks and tunnel operations.
Issa, who is Deif’s deputy, is also a senior commander of the Qassam Brigades and oversees its rocket production and launch units.
The Israeli officials said that the war in Gaza would not end until Hamas’ leadership in the enclave was killed or surrendered.
They said that this was the message of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said on Monday that the war in Gaza will take months and “must not end” until Hamas’ leadership in the enclave is killed.
Netanyahu, who is facing a political crisis at home and international pressure to end the hostilities, said that Israel had no choice but to continue its military campaign to restore security and deterrence.
He said that Israel had achieved “unprecedented” results in the war, destroying Hamas’ rocket capabilities, infrastructure, and operatives.
He also accused Hamas of using civilians as human shields and launching rockets from densely populated areas, saying that Israel was doing everything possible to avoid harming innocent people.
He said that Israel was ready to cooperate with humanitarian efforts to assist the people of Gaza, but only if Hamas stopped its attacks and agreed to a ceasefire.
The war in Gaza, which has entered its fifth month, has killed more than 27,000 Palestinians, and displaced more than 2,000,000, according to the United Nations.
The UN has warned of a humanitarian catastrophe in the besieged coastal enclave, where water, electricity, and medical supplies are scarce and the risk of disease outbreaks is high.
The UN has also called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, saying that the violence was “utterly appalling” and “must stop”.
The US, which is Israel’s main ally and arms supplier, has also urged both sides to end the fighting and pursue a diplomatic solution.
However, the US has also blocked several attempts by the UN Security Council to issue a statement calling for a ceasefire, saying that it would not help the situation and that it was working behind the scenes to broker a truce.
Unacceptable War
The US has also reaffirmed its “unwavering support” for Israel’s right to defend itself and condemned Hamas’ rocket attacks as “indiscriminate” and “unacceptable”.
The US has also pledged to replenish Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system, which has intercepted most of Hamas’ rockets, and to provide additional military and humanitarian aid to Israel.
Meanwhile, Hamas, which rules Gaza and is considered a terrorist organization by Israel, the US, and the EU, has vowed to continue its resistance until Israel lifts its blockade on Gaza and respects the rights of the Palestinians.
Hamas has also rejected any ceasefire that does not address its demands, saying that it would not accept a “humiliating” truce that would allow Israel to “impose its conditions” on Gaza.
Hamas has also claimed that it has inflicted significant losses on Israel, saying that it has killed or wounded hundreds of Israeli soldiers and civilians, and damaged or destroyed many of its buildings and vehicles.
Hamas has also said that it has surprised Israel with its improved rocket arsenal and tunnel network, saying that it has launched more than 4,000 rockets at Israel, reaching as far as Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, and that it has infiltrated Israeli territory several times through its tunnels.
Hamas has also said that it has the support of the Palestinian people and the Muslim world, saying that it has sparked a popular uprising against Israel’s occupation and oppression in the West Bank, Jerusalem, and inside Israel.
Hamas has also said that it has received political and material support from countries such as Iran, Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt, which have condemned Israel’s aggression and expressed solidarity with the Palestinians.
The war in Gaza is the worst since 2014, when Israel and Hamas fought a 50-day conflict that killed more than 2,200 people, mostly Palestinians.
The war in Gaza has also shown the need and urgency for a just and lasting peace, based on mutual recognition, respect, and coexistence, between Israel and the Palestinians, and between Jews and Arabs, in the land they both call home.
