TEL AVIV, November 1. /TASS/. Israel is in the midst of a long and grueling war in the Gaza Strip but will see it through to the end, with significant achievements already having been made amid painful losses, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

"We are in the midst of a grueling war. It's going to be a long war. We have achieved much already, but we also have experienced some painful losses. We will continue until we accomplish our goal. We will continue until we win," Netanyahu wrote on his X page (formerly Twitter).

Israeli Defense Forces Spokesman Daniel Hagari said earlier that 326 Israeli soldiers have been killed in the fighting in the Gaza Strip since the beginning of hostilities on October 7.

"Our soldiers died with honor - in the war for our homeland," Netanyahu noted.

Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7 when militants from the radical Palestinian group Hamas staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip, killing residents of Israeli border settlements and taking hostages, including women, children and the elderly. Hamas described its attack as a response to the aggressive actions of Israeli authorities against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City. Israel has announced a total blockade of the Gaza Strip and has been delivering air strikes on Gaza as well as some parts of Lebanon and Syria. Clashes are also underway in the West Bank. On October 27, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari announced the expansion of Israel’s military ground operation in Gaza.