Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip will end with the surrender of the Hamas leader and the return of prisoners, Ofir Gendelman, spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said today.
“The war in Gaza can end on the condition that the leaders of Hamas surrender to the Israeli army and that the prisoners are returned,” Gendelman said.
He added that Israeli military forces are advancing in the southern Gaza Strip.
“Our forces have surrounded the house of (Hamas leader O.A.) Yahya Sinwar (in Khan Yunis O.A.) and the mission of our forces is to arrest him as soon as possible,” he added.
Gendelman rejected UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
“This call for a ceasefire is now tantamount to a call to keep Hamas in power in Gaza. We categorically reject that,” added Gendelman.
Israel resumed its military offensive on the Gaza Strip on December 1 following the end of a week-long humanitarian truce with Hamas.
At least 17,177 Palestinians have been killed and more than 46,000 injured in relentless air and ground attacks on the Palestinian enclave since October 7 following a cross-border attack by Hamas.
According to official data, 1,200 people were killed in Israel in the same period.
