– We cannot stop the fighting until Hamas is defeated and the hostages are freed, says Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant about the advance to the heart of Gaza City on Tuesday. The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) has now identified and destroyed more than 100 tunnel shafts in the city, according to Reuters. The IDF has not confirmed this information. According to Reuters, five sources have said that putting the tunnel system under northern Gaza out of action is a fundamental part of the next part of the Israeli offensive. It is expected that this will take time. Hamas has been fighting against Israeli forces that have advanced into Gaza City in recent days. Much of the resistance has been possible by firing grenades from tunnel openings, then appearing elsewhere and continuing the attack. – I don’t think Hamas can be crushed For the Israeli government and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, it is a stated goal to “remove Hamas from the face of the earth”. It can be a difficult goal. – It depends on what one defines as Hamas, and what Israel actually means, says senior researcher Jørgen Jensehaugen at the Institute for Peace Research (Prio) in Oslo to NTB. He points out that Hamas is both a political party which in practice has been a state protector in the Gaza Strip, as well as being a military wing. The political power factor is difficult to remove, Jensehaugen believes. – Palestinian refugees live in all countries in the region, and Hamas is, like other political factions, present in the refugee camps. You cannot crush that movement without also crushing it in exile, he says.
ttn-69
Blows up the tunnel system under Gaza – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
