Netanyahu says Gaza mission nearing completion

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel’s military campaign targeting those responsible for the October 7, 2023 attacks is nearing its completion phase, as the war in Gaza continues to cause heavy casualties and widespread destruction.

In remarks to international media, Netanyahu claimed that Israeli forces now control around 60 percent of Gaza’s territory. He said the military operation has significantly weakened Hamas, adding that several senior commanders and leaders of the group have been killed during the ongoing conflict.

He stated that Israel’s main objective remains the dismantling of Hamas’s military infrastructure and ensuring that those responsible for the October 2023 attacks are eliminated. According to him, military operations will continue until all strategic goals are fully achieved.

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Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate rapidly. According to figures released by Gaza’s health ministry, more than 72,000 people have been killed since the start of the war, while over 120,000 others have been injured.

The ministry further reported that more than 90 percent of Gaza has been rendered uninhabitable due to extensive damage caused by airstrikes and ground operations. Large numbers of residents remain displaced, while shortages of food, clean water, and medical supplies have worsened due to ongoing restrictions and damaged infrastructure.

International humanitarian organizations and several governments have repeatedly called for an immediate ceasefire and unrestricted access for aid deliveries. However, fighting has continued despite ongoing diplomatic efforts to bring an end to the conflict.

Reports from regional media also claimed that senior Hamas commander Izz al-Din al-Haddad was killed in an Israeli strike along with his wife and daughter, though these claims have not been independently verified.

The Gaza conflict remains one of the deadliest and most destructive wars in the Middle East in recent years, with growing international concern over the humanitarian crisis and the lack of a lasting political resolution.