IDF chief Halevi: ‘Hamas’ situation is almost unbearable,’ army says north Gaza op meant to create lasting security

Israeli operations in northern Gaza have pushed Hamas to a breaking point, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi told soldiers as he visited commanders of the IDF's 162nd Division in Jabaliya on Monday.

Three Israeli soldiers were killed in northern Gaza over the past 24 hours, the toll of fallen soldiers in the region over the last three months of fighting to 43.

Despite the losses, Halevi assured his commanders that Hamas understands that what the IDF is doing “is close to being unbearable, and I tell you, we won’t stop. We will bring them to the point where they understand that they must return all the hostages.”

“Otherwise, the highly professional work you are doing will continue and continue – taking more prisoners and killing more operatives. And I know you are doing everything possible to minimize casualties on our side,” Halevi added.

IDF sources, speaking to Army Radio on Tuesday, confirmed for the first time that the army’s overarching goal for its massive operation in northern Gaza, which has been the focus for three months now, is unlike previous raids in the area. This time, the goal is to systematically and completely clear the area of terrorists and Hamas infrastructure so Israeli residents of the Gaza Envelope can return to their homes safely.

“We are doing things that we did not do in previous operations. We are reaching areas with the goal that the IDF will not have to return to them anymore. This is not a raid operation – it is a maneuver for the complete destruction of the enemy and the infrastructure,” a source told Army Radio.

Soldiers participating in the fighting added that Hamas’ forces in the area are now partly made up of “veteran” terrorists, but also include new recruits. They noted that the terrorists are now using explosives made from unexploded IDF bombs, which indicates they are struggling to resupply.

“We see a lot of improvisations, any explosive material that exists – they are trying to use it against us,” one source said.

Meanwhile, the IDF announced that the Kfir Brigade, which mainly fought in the Beit Lahiya area under the command of the 162nd Division, completed its assignment and has exited the Gaza Strip for a break.

“During the mission, the forces eliminated many terrorists from the air and in face-to-face battles, some of whom took part in the Oct. 7 massacre, located weapons and destroyed an underground route and infrastructure of Hamas,” the IDF said.

“Since the start of the fighting, the forces of the brigade fought in the Gaza Strip, in southern Lebanon and carried out operations in Judea and Samaria. Now the forces have completed their mission in the northern Gaza Strip and are preparing for new missions.”

In the past few months, the Kfir Brigade has eliminated over 300 terrorists including commanders, a source told the Jerusalem Post. “We operated for sixty-four days in northern Gaza. Sixty-four days of operating without breaks or rotations. We worked to destroy Hamas above and below ground.”

“We paid a very heavy price in the fighting. In six incidents, we lost 12 soldiers and commanders. We had dozens of wounded, some of whom have already returned to combat.”

With the departure of the Kfir Brigade, the IDF estimates that Hamas’ infrastructure in the area of ​​Beit Lahiya was completely cleared and destroyed.

“To create a complete occupation and cleansing operation – takes time,” IDF sources told Army Radio in response to criticism of the long and costly operation. “In any area, it can take months. There is an enemy system here that has been built over years, above and below ground, and it will take more time.”

Despite this, the military source acknowledged, “Certainly, in the future, terrorists can return to this area, but we are making sure it will be very, very difficult for them to return there.”