The Israeli Defence Minister has warned Hamas that there is just only two options on the table, either you will “die in your positions” or “surrender unconditionally,” there is “no third option.”
This comes as around 400,000 Israeli military are building up positions ready for a ground offensive of some sorts in Gaza.
Yoav Gallant, as cited by the Times of Israel said, “Our planes will reach everywhere… every missile has an address. We will reach each and every one of the members of Hamas,” the Defence Minister told pilots of the Israel Air Force’s F-35 fleet at the Nevatim airbase.
Gallant insisted that the Israeli military will “wipe out” Hamas in Gaza and will destroy all of their “capabilities.”
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Gallant warned, “Hamas members have two options: Either die in their positions or surrender unconditionally.
“There is no third option. We will wipe out the Hamas organization and dismantle it of all its capabilities.”
The Israeli Defence Force chief of staff Lt, General Herzi Halevi said, “Our responsibility now is to enter Gaza, to go to the places where Hamas is preparing, acting, planning, launching.
“Attack them [Hamas] everywhere, every commander, every operative, destroy infrastructure.”
He added that their aims are to topple “the Hamas government and destroying its military capabilities, removing the terror threat from the Gaza Strip on Israel, maximum effort to solve the hostage issue, and defending Israel’s borders and its civilians.”
US officials have put 2,000 troops on standby to be “ready to deploy” to the Middle East should they be needed inside Israel.
The 2,000 US troops reportedly selected by the Pentagon are prepared for deployment to help the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) for their ground offensive by providing advice and medical support.
A White House official said, “This morning, President Biden and Vice President Harris were briefed by their national security team on the latest updates in the wake of Hamas’s abhorrent attack in Israel and the resulting conflict in Gaza.
“Chief of Staff Jeff Zients joined the briefing led by National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Bill Burns.”