Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has issued a stern warning to Hamas, declaring that Israel’s military will come back with a stronger force once the truce is over. “You have a few days. When we return to fighting, we will apply the same force and more … and we will fight across the whole of the (Gaza) Strip,” Gallant told a group of Israeli soldiers on Monday.
The warning comes as Qatar announced an agreement to extend the Israel-Hamas truce in Gaza by two additional days, providing a brief reprieve in the conflict.
Gallant’s address highlighted the need for Israeli forces to remain prepared, as he stressed that the enemy would also be using the ceasefire to regroup and plan. “Remember that while you are organizing and resting and researching, the enemy is also doing the same. You will meet something that is a little more ready,” Gallant cautioned.
He detailed the military strategy, stating, “Therefore, they will first meet the bombs of the Air Force, and after that the shells of the tanks and the artillery and the paws of the D9 (bulldozers), and finally the shooting of the infantry fighters, we will fight in the entire strip.”
The warning comes amid rising casualties in the conflict, with the Palestinian Ministry of Health reporting that over 14,800 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza between October 7 and November 23. The figures also show that at least 6,000 children and 4,000 women have been killed, and more than 30,000 people have been injured.
The Ministry of Health has faced challenges in updating casualty numbers due to breakdowns in services and communication in hospitals in the northern Gaza Strip.
As tensions continue to escalate, the threat of renewed fighting poses a worrying outlook for the region, with both sides bracing for the potential resumption of hostilities.