Israel says nearly 70% of Gaza is destroyed and under its control
Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz said nearly 70 per cent of Gaza has been destroyed and vowed that Israeli forces will remain in the territory until Hamas is disarmed and Gaza is demilitarised.
Speaking from Netiv Ha’esra on Tuesday, Katz said the Israeli military controls the area, which he described as having no residents, houses or tunnels. He said Israel would not leave Gaza until Hamas is disarmed and all tunnels are destroyed, adding that the IDF would remain in Gaza along defensive lines even after those conditions are met.
Katz said the continued Israeli military presence would be intended to protect communities in Israel’s western Negev region. His comments come as Israel maintains that any lasting settlement in Gaza must include Hamas’s disarmament and the territory’s demilitarisation, while Hamas has tied the surrender of its weapons to the withdrawal of Israeli forces.
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