War in Gaza could last another seven months, Israel warns

The war in Gaza will likely continue through at least the end of the year, an Israeli official warned Wednesday, seeming to dismiss the idea that fighting would end after the military offensive against Hamas in Rafah. dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd

Israel’s national security adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, said the year 2024 has been “defined as a year of combat” by Israel’s war cabinet.

“We are now in the fifth month of 2024, which means we expect another seven months of fighting to deepen our achievements and achieve our goal of destroying the military and governmental capabilities of Hamas and Islamic Jihad,” Hanegbi said.

The comments came as Israeli tanks – seen Tuesday in central Rafah for the first time since the operation began earlier this month – continued to probe the southern Gaza city on Wednesday, despite mounting global pressure to stop the offensive.

The Israeli government had previously signaled that entering Rafah would be the final stage of its war against Hamas, which attacked Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking some 250 people hostage. In response, Israel launched a devastating offensive in Gaza which has killed more than 36,000 people, according to Palestinian officials.

Despite the prospect earlier this month of striking a ceasefire-for-hostages deal with Hamas, the more extreme wing of Israel’s war cabinet had urged that the Rafah offensive go ahead, arguing that destroying the group was more urgent and of greater importance than returning the hostages believed to still be alive in Gaza. dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd dfd

The post War in Gaza could last another seven months, Israel warns appeared first on The Muslim News.