Israel controls over half of the Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during the Jordan Valley Conference on Thursday, adding that he has given the order for Israel to take even more.
“Israel controls 60% of the Gaza Strip,” he said. “My directive – 70%. We’ll start there.”
The comments come a day after the IDF struck two senior Hamas commanders in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday evening, targeting northern Gaza brigade commander Ezz al-Din Beik and Gaza City deputy brigade commander Imad Aslim, who also serves as commander of the Zeitoun Battalion.
The strike was carried out while the two were reportedly meeting in the same apartment after emerging from Hamas’s underground tunnel network.
Israeli security officials are still awaiting final confirmation that both Hamas commanders had been killed.
Israel-Hezbollah conflict intensifies
Netanyahu also confirmed that Israeli troops crossed the Litani River during operations in southern Lebanon.
“Now we attacked in Beirut, we attacked Tyre yesterday, our forces crossed the Litani, we are striking them and will strike them very hard,” Netanyahu stated.
The IDF on Wednesday struck over 150 targets across Tyre, Nabatieh, the Bekaa Valley, and throughout southern Lebanon as Hezbollah launched drones at Rosh Hanikra and Shlomi.
This is a developing story.
Amir Bohbot and Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report.
