IDF Spokesman BG Effie Defrin explained that the IDF is operating in the southern Gaza Strip to ‘increase pressure on Hamas in order to bring the hostages home and to dismantle both the Hamas government and the Hamas military wing.’
IDF Spokesman BG Effie Defrin spoke to the press from the field in the Morag Corridor, which divides between Khan Yunis and Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, and discussed the operational activities in the area and their main purposes.
“We are here in the Morag Corridor, the corridor located between Khan Yunis and Rafah, as you saw earlier. I want to clarify the goal of the operation: to increase pressure on Hamas in order to bring the hostages home and to dismantle both the Hamas government and the Hamas military wing,” Defrin explained.
He reiterated: “The hostages are always at the forefront of our minds, this is our top priority. Every soldier here, from the division commander to the junior soldier, understands this objective.
The spokesman noted: “We are operating in both the northern and southern Gaza Strip, and currently between Khan Yunis and Rafah, we are striking Hamas’ infrastructure. We have attained significant achievements, both above and below ground. We are targeting Hamas’ chain of command and will continue to do so consistently. We spoke about the fifth commander of Hamas’ Shejaiya battalion – we eliminated him, and I don’t see anyone stepping up to replace him in the upcoming days. We will continue to neutralize such threats in the future.”
Defrin discussed Israel’s methods of operation, stating: “Since the beginning of the operation, we have maintained operational ambiguity. This is not just a slogan; ambiguity is part of the method, part of the operational strategy. We do not intend to reveal our actions to Hamas. Now that we have completed operations here, we will continue to expand our operations more and more and maintain the element of surprise.”
He concluded: “Hamas is under pressure. We will pursue Hamas from wherever it operates, both in the north and south of the Gaza Strip and even outside of it, anywhere. We will not rest until we bring our hostages home, every last one of them, both alive and deceased alike.”
