Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the military would enter Gaza “with full force” in the coming days, a statement from his office said on Tuesday.
“In the very coming days, we are going in with full force to complete the operation. Completing the operation means defeating Hamas. It means destroying Hamas,” Netanyahu said during a meeting with injured reserve soldiers in his office late on Monday.
“There will be no situation where we stop the war. A temporary ceasefire might happen, but we are going all the way,” he added.
Israel resumed major operations across Gaza on March 18 amid a deadlock over how to proceed with a January 19 ceasefire that had largely halted the war with Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Earlier this month, Israel’s government approved plans to expand its Gaza offensive, with officials talking of retaining a long-term presence there.
Israel’s military said the planned broader operation, which had drawn international condemnation, would include displacing “most” residents of the Palestinian territory.
