‘Gaza will never go back to what it was’, says Israeli defence minister

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Tuesday said the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) is moving to "full offence" against Hamas targets as the counter-offensive in the wake of the terror attacks rages on, The Times of Israel reported.

In an address to troops deployed along the Gaza border, the Israeli Defence Minister said, "I have released all the restraints. We have [regained] control of the area and we are moving to a full offence."

He asserted that Gaza will "never go back to what it was".

"You will have the ability to change the reality here. You have seen the prices [being paid], and you will get to see the change. Hamas wanted a change in Gaza; it will change 180 degrees from what it thought," The Times of Israel quoted the minister as saying in a report.

"They will regret this moment, Gaza will never go back to what it was," the Defence minister said, adding that Israel, with all its might and, without compromise, would eliminate "whoever comes to decapitate, murder women, Holocaust survivors".

Hinting at the ongoing counter-offensive continuing for several months, he added, "We will return here, to Be'eri, in a few months, and the situation will be different. We will resettle the kibbutz until its last meter."

After Gallant's address on Tuesday, the top spokesperson for Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, said killing senior Hamas members was a top priority, according to a report by The Times of Israel.

Informing that the troops were still looking for Hamas terrorists in southern Israel after the multi-pronged terror attacks on Saturday morning, Hagari added, "The directive to the forces is clear. Find terrorists and destroy them."

"We are making a strong defence on the border. There were infiltration attempts today, but the terrorists were eliminated before they reached the fence," he added.

The bodies of 103 terrorists were found in Kibbutz Be'eri, he said, adding that Hamas gunmen murdered more than 100 Israelis in Kibbutz.

Meanwhile, as part of the ongoing counter-offensive against Hamas, dozens of Israeli Air Force fighters struck over 200 targets in the Al-Furqan neighbourhood, a spot from which Hamas launches attacks, according to a report.

In a post shared on X, IDF stated, "Dozens of Israeli Air Force fighter jets struck over 200 targets in the Al-Furqan neighbourhood--a terrorist hotspot from which Hamas devises and executes their attacks. This is the 3rd counterstrike in the area during the last 24 hours, in which 450 targets were struck."

It added that dozens of fighter jets hit over 70 targets through Darje Tupah in Gaza on Tuesday night.

"Dozens of IAF fighter jets attacked more than 70 targets throughout Darje Tupah in Gaza tonight. The Darje Tupah area serves as a terrorist nest for the terrorist organization Hamas and from where many activities against Israel are carried out," the Israeli Air Force posted on X.

It added that it will continue to act powerfully against the terror infrastructure, which enables Hamas to plot and execute attacks on Israel.

Meanwhile, the IDF also confirmed that the first plane carrying US armaments arrived at the Nevatim Airbase in southern Israel on Wednesday. It added that cooperation between the two militaries is a key part of ensuring regional security and stability in times of war.

The Israeli security forces also bombed the house of the father of Mohammed Deif, the head of Hamas's military wing believed to be the key plotter of the terror attacks, The Times of Israel reported.

As the war against Hamas entered its fifth day, the toll from the rocket and ambush attacks by the terror outfit in Israel mounted to over 1,200, with more than 2,700 injured and 50 confirmed to have been taken hostage or missing, the IDF stated.

It added that over 4,500 rockets have been fired from Gaza, so far.

On the other side, over 770 Palestinians have also been killed in air raids by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), The Health Ministry in Gaza said, adding that another 4,000 have been wounded in the ongoing counter-offensive.

Among the dead are 140 children and 120 women, the ministry spokesperson said.

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