TEL AVIV, November 29. /TASS/. Israel will continue its military operation in the Gaza Strip immediately after the current humanitarian pause is over, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
"In the last week, we have achieved a huge success - the return of dozens of our abductees. This could have sounded unimaginable only a week ago, by we have achieved it. But, recently, I have been hearing a question: will Israel return to fighting once this stage of the return of our hostages is complete? And the answer is - yes, definitely," Netanyahu said, according to his office.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed that all stated goals of the ground operation, including the destruction of the Hamas military and political potential, remain unchanged.
"Since the very beginning of this war, I have set three goals: to destroy Hamas, to bring back all our hostages and to ensure that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel. These three goals are still valid," he said.
Netanyahu believes that the decision to continue the military operation is supported by both the authorities and the people of Israel.
"There is no option when we do not resume hostilities at all. This is my policy. The entire security cabinet supports it. Soldiers support it. The people support it and this is what we will do," he concluded.
The situation in the Middle East has escalated abruptly after an armed infiltration of HAMAS militants from the Gaza Strip into Israel. The HAMAS movement considers this attack a response to the actions of Israeli authorities towards the Al Aqsa Mosque at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Israel announced a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip and started carrying out strikes on the enclave and certain areas in Lebanon and Syria. Clashes are also taking place in the West Bank.