SRINAGAR: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the country’s military campaign “is not over,” even as Israel prepares to release all remaining living hostages and hundreds of Palestinian detainees under the next phase of the newly brokered Gaza ceasefire with Hamas.
In a televised address, Netanyahu hailed the imminent release of the 20 surviving hostages as a “historic event,” according to Xinhua news agency. “Wherever we fought, we won,” he said, adding, “But the campaign is not over yet,” without elaborating further.
The prime minister warned that Israel still faces “very big security challenges” and that “some of our enemies are trying to regroup,” pledging continued vigilance to safeguard national security.
Earlier, Israel’s military chief Eyal Zamir announced that the country had achieved a “victory over Hamas.” In a national broadcast, Zamir credited the success to “sustained military pressure and diplomatic efforts,” while emphasising that Israel remains “in the midst of a multi-front war.”
Zamir said the military would “continue to act to ensure the Gaza Strip no longer poses a threat to the State of Israel and its civilians,” adding that Israel’s ongoing operations are “reshaping the Middle East and our security strategy for the years ahead.”
The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect on Friday after more than two years of Israeli bombardment that left large parts of the Gaza Strip in ruins and triggered widespread famine.
