TEL AVIV, December 11. /TASS/. Israel plans to continue a military operation in Gaza until it achieves all its goals, said Dmitry Gendelman, an adviser to the Israeli prime minister's office.

"The war in Gaza will continue until all its objectives are achieved: the return of all hostages, the elimination of the military and governance capabilities of Hamas, the removal of the threat of terrorism from the Gaza Strip, and the safe return of the residents of the north to their homes. Our fighters continue to act on all fronts with bravery and dedication to bring back our hostages and neutralize the threats of terrorism to the people of Israel," he wrote on Telegram.

According to Gendelman, Israel "continues to make every possible effort to bring back the 100 hostages, alive and dead, including women, children and the elderly, who have now been held in Hamas' brutal captivity for 432 days."

The situation in the Middle East sharply escalated following an incursion of Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip into Israel on October 7, accompanied by killings of residents of Israeli settlements near the border and taking hostages, including children, women and elderly people. In response, Israel declared a complete siege of the Gaza Strip and started delivering strikes on that area and parts of Lebanon and Syria. That was followed by an Israeli ground operation in the enclave.

In November last year, a humanitarian truce was brokered by Egypt and Qatar, which lasted for a week. During that time, according to Israel, more than 100 hostages were released. On December 1 of the same year, the ceasefire was violated, so hostilities resumed and continue to this day.