Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz approved the new military's operational plans for continued actions against Hamas in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday. After meeting with senior military officials, including Southern Command chief Yaniv Asor and Gaza Division commander Barak Hiram, Katz reaffirmed that Israel's main objective is to secure the hostages' release.
"Our main goal now is to return all the hostages home. If Hamas continues its refusal, it will pay increasingly heavy prices, in land that will be taken, operatives who will be eliminated, and infrastructure, until it is completely defeated," he warned.
His decision follows a deadly week in Gaza. Since March 18, at least 792 people have been killed, with the total death toll reaching 50,144 and injuries surpassing 113,700 since October 7, 2023, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.
