Israeli forces will reach and eliminate Hamas terror leader Yahya Sinwar, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant vowed Saturday in a briefing as nine more IDF troops fell over a weekend of intense operations.
“At the end of the war there will no longer be Hamas in Gaza, there will be no security threat from the Gaza Strip to Israel, and Israel will have complete freedom of action to carry out any security actions it needs against anyone who [threatens us],” the defense minister said.His remarks came as Israel intensified its ground operation in Gaza over the weekend, successfully targeting and dismantling vital Hamas elements, including their critical infrastructure and personnel.
"Our victory [against Hamas] will be decisive and clear," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday in a video address. "Our forces are operating in all sectors and with full strength.
"The goal of our enemies is the destruction of the State of Israel," the prime minister said. "I say to you, and I say to them – our enemies will fail. They will be defeated. We will not relent until we achieve our goals, which include the elimination of Hamas, the return of our hostages, and providing security for our citizens and children."
He said that Israel's efforts would "send a message to our enemies" that would reverberate for generations.
Nine more Israeli soldiers fell in Gaza over the weekend, bringing the total killed since the IDF launched its ground operation in the Gaza Strip last week to 28, and 345 since October 7.
The IDF announced on Saturday the death of Maj. Yehuda Natan Cohen, 25, from Shadmot Mehola, a company commander in the Givati Brigade’s reconnaissance unit; Master Sgt. Lior Arazi, 25, from Givat Haim-Ihud, a combat medic in Shaldag; Staff Sgt. Gilad Nehemya Nitzan, 21, from Shilo, a soldier in the Givati Brigade’s reconnaissance unit; and Staff Sgt. Yonadav Raz Levenstein, 23, from Ma’ale Adumim, a soldier in the Givati Brigade’s reconnaissance unit.
Over the weekend, the IDF and the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) assassinated the commander of Hamas's Sabra Tel al-Hawa Battalion, Mustafa Dalul, the IDF said.
Since the beginning of the war, Dalul took a central part in managing the combat against IDF troops in the Gaza Strip.
In addition, an Israeli drone fired a missile at the Gaza house of Hamas' leader Ismail Haniyeh, who is currently outside the enclave, Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa Radio reported on Saturday.
It was unclear whether his family members were at the house when it was struck. Haniyeh, Hamas' political chief, has been outside the Gaza Strip since 2019, residing between Turkey and Qatar.
IDF fighter jets and artillery, directed by ground troops, killed several other terrorists who operated against the ground troops. Also, during searches in the area of Beit Hanoun, the troops located weapons, intelligence material, an AK-47 rifle, a submachine gun, magazines, grenades, explosive devices, RPG, communication means, and maps.
The soldiers were attacked during their operations by terrorists who exited from tunnel shafts and military compounds in the northern Gaza Strip. On Friday, troops engaged with 15 terrorists in the northern Gaza Strip, killing several of them, and directed tank fire to destroy three Hamas observation posts.
IDF armored and engineering corps operated to map out buildings and neutralize explosive devices. Specifically, in recent days, soldiers from the Infantry, Combat Engineering and Armored Corps, under the command of the Givati Brigade, took control of a Hamas military stronghold in Gaza. They found intelligence information that included operational orders belonging to Hamas. It also included operational maps, means of communication, command and control tables and personal details of Hamas commanders and terrorists.
Wounded soldiers evacuated
The extensive operations have led to the injury of many combatants, the IDF said. So far, around 260 soldiers have been evacuated in about 150 rescue operations by the 669 Search and Rescue Unit. Most of the soldiers were wounded by gunfire.
In addition, the number of hostages dropped from 242 on Thursday to 241 on Friday, IDF Spokesperson Daniel Hagari said in a briefing.
While Hagari didn't specify the source of this intelligence, it likely includes the analysis of pieces of flesh, bones and ashes left behind by Hamas in several kibbutzim following Hamas's brutal acts. Forensic teams at Shura and Abu Kabir facilities have been working diligently to identify these remains, allowing the country to determine the status of individuals who could be kidnapped, missing, or deceased.
In Gaza, the IDF said on Saturday that the Hamas terrorist organization took advantage of a humanitarian window of opportunity that the IDF gave to the residents of Gaza and carried out attacks with mortar fire and anti-tank missiles.
"There were no casualties to our forces in this incident," the IDF said.
The IDF had informed residents that the Salah al-Din route, a major road running from Gaza City to southern Gaza, could be used for humanitarian transit by civilians.
"While the IDF was opening a humanitarian axis for the movement of Gaza residents to the south, terrorists from the terrorist organization Hamas attacked the forces involved in opening it," the IDF said.
Hamas exploited this and used mortars and artillery to prevent it from being opened to the movement of civilians.
The road was supposed to be open from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. so that people could leave northern Gaza and head south for safety. Israel has called on civilians to leave northern Gaza for weeks. The fighting is taking place in areas on the outskirts of Gaza City. The IDF released a video showing impacts from Hamas terror fire near the route. It also showed other documentation of the attack by Hamas targeting the humanitarian corridor. In addition, a recording was released about the opening of the corridor.
Over the weekend, the IDF also unveiled a recording in which healthcare workers were heard discussing the alleged siphoning of fuel from the Al-Shifa Hospital by Hamas. In this conversation, the officials estimated that Hamas had acquired between half a million and a million liters of fuel.
Reuters contributed to this report.