“All goals were achieved,” Prime Minister says.
By TPS
Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid and Defense Minister Benny Gantz declared that Operation Breaking Dawn restored the initiative and deterrent capabilities to the State of Israel.
The two addressed the Israeli public on national television Monday night, one day after the 55 hour long operation to destroy Islamic Jihad terrorist infrastructure in Gaza ended.
“All goals were achieved,” said Lapid. “The entire military elite of the Islamic Jihad in Gaza was thwarted within three days. The strength and sophistication of the IDF dealt the enemy a heavy blow.”
Lapid also explained that while the operation in Gaza was being conducted Shin Bet and IDF fighters led an extensive arrest operation of Islamic Jihad operatives in Judea and Samaria as well. “The Israeli government continued a powerful policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism. Whoever tries to hurt us will pay with his life,” he said.
Lapid went on to say that the events of the past few days should remind Israelis that their enemies are “outside, not within us. We must beware of gratuitous hatred. The right way to face the challenges we face is together.”
Gantz, who spoke immediately after Lapid, listed three major successes of operation. They were removing the immediate threat from Gaza, maintaining the IDF’s operational freedom of action in all arenas, and maintaining Israel’s deterrence.
The Defense Minister stressed that responsibility for everything that happens in Gaza rests squarely on the shoulders of Hamas. He added that if Hamas allows terrorism to continue then Israel will, “act strongly and use all the means at our disposal – military and civilian.”
After an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire took hold on Sunday night, Israel has rolled back most security precautions for communities adjacent to the Gaza border.
World Israel News staff contributed to this report.