Israel to keep fighting in Gaza until Hamas releases all hostages

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant emphasized that the humanitarian pause in Gaza was derailed by Hamas, which, according to Tel Aviv, refused to release 17 women and children

 Israel will continue fighting in the Gaza Strip until the radical Palestinian movement Hamas will at least get back to the implementation of the hostage release deal, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said during a press conference.

Gallant emphasized that the humanitarian pause in Gaza was derailed by Hamas, which, according to Tel Aviv, refused to release 17 women and children, so the Israel Defence Forces have picked up fighting in order to eradicate Hamas’ military and political capabilities in the enclave.

“Until Hamas starts to respect the terms of the agreement [on hostage release], we will keep hitting it harder and harder and going to great lengths to achieve the objectives we previously set,” Gallant pointed out.

The minister emphasized that the IDF resumed combat in full and the results of the first strikes on the enclave “are very impressive”, according to his assessment.

“The Israel Defence Forces is back in the fight with all its might. We are continuing exactly where we left off before the ceasefire. We are aspiring to accomplish all the goals of the war, which are to defeat Hamas, destroy its military and governing capabilities, stop it from running Gaza and to take all our abducted people home,” Gallant added.

Tensions flared up in the Middle East after Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip attacked Israeli territory on October 7, killing residents of border settlements and taking hostages, including women, children and the elderly. Hamas views its attack as a response to Israeli authorities’ steps against the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Israel declared a total blockade of the Gaza Strip and launched bombardments of the enclave and some areas in Lebanon and Syria.

On November 22, Hamas announced an agreement with Israel, which was brokered by Egypt and Qatar, on a four-day humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip, which came into effect on November 24. Under the deal, women and children under the age of 19 held hostage in the enclave were to be released in return for the release of women and teenagers from Israeli prisons. On November 27, Israel and Hamas agreed to extend the truce for two more days on the previous terms, which were as follows: three Palestinian captives would be released daily in return for each freed Israeli hostage.

On the morning of November 30, the IDF announced that the truce was extended in the enclave for another day. However, early on December 1, the IDF blamed Hamas for violating the truce and said that it was resuming combat in the Gaza Strip in response.