Israeli Defense Minister vows Gaza war will continue until ‘decisive victory’ achieved

As the war in Gaza approaches its 19th month, Defense Minister Israel Katz says the IDF will pursue its goal of a decisive victory against Hamas – without compromise.

By World Israel News Staff

Israel will continue its war against the Hamas terror organization until a “decisive victory” has been achieved, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz (Likud) said Wednesday.

Speaking at a Memorial Day ceremony on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem Wednesday morning in honor of fallen Israeli soldiers, Katz highlighted the service of a number of IDF soldiers and officers killed during the ongoing war in Gaza, saying their sacrifice and the sacrifices of others stands “against cruel, extreme, and unrestrained enemies who seek to annihilate us.”

Amid growing calls from left-wing opponents of the Netanyahu government for Israel to agree to Hamas’ demands to end the war in Gaza in exchange for the return of the remaining 59 hostages, Katz vowed that the war against the Islamist terror group would continue “without compromise” until the IDF has achieved a “decisive victory.”

“The goal is decisive victory—without compromise,” said Katz, while adding that Israel must remain active on other fronts beyond Gaza, including Lebanon, Syria, and Samaria.

“The main lesson of October 7th is that the IDF must always stand between enemies like these and our communities and citizens: in the security zone in Lebanon, on Mount Hermon, in the security areas in Syria, in the refugee camps of northern Samaria, and in the buffer zones around Gaza that separate the enemy from the communities of the western Negev. The principle is clear: Israel is determined to defend itself against any threat—and we will continue to do so going forward.”

Turning to Iran, Katz said Israel has been engaged in a “complex multi-front campaign” against Tehran over the past 18 months, emphasizing that Israel will do whatever it takes to prevent Iran from achieving a capacity to produce nuclear weapons.

“We’ve now seen that when Iran spent years threatening to destroy Israel—it meant it. Iran is the central threat to the entire region, and we are more determined than ever to prevent it from obtaining nuclear weapons. We will not allow annihilation threats against the State of Israel.”