Defense Minister Israel Katz visiting troops in southern Lebanon, December 22, 2024. (Ariel Hermoni, Defense Ministry)
Israeli finance minister says IDF is close to killing off 200 Hamas terrorists holed up in tunnels under Rafah.
By World Israel News Staff
Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip will continue to use deadly force against terrorists remaining in IDF-controlled territory, Israel’s defense chief said Wednesday, following airstrikes and artillery fire on Hamas positions.
Defense Minister Israel Katz emphasized that even during the Gaza ceasefire, the IDF is continuing operations to destroy terror tunnels located on its side of the Yellow Line, demarcating the ceasefire boundaries.
In addition, Israeli forces are free to eliminate Hamas terrorists who are found on the Israeli side of the Yellow Line in Gaza.
“Israel’s policy in Gaza is clear: the IDF is operating to destroy the tunnels and eliminate Hamas terrorists without any limits within the Yellow Line area under our control,” Katz said. “The goal, alongside the return of all the hostages and the fallen, is to disarm Hamas and demilitarize Gaza.”
Katz’s remarks come as Israel is reportedly mulling granting safe passage to some 200 Hamas terrorists located on the Israeli side of the Yellow Line.
Most of those terrorists are believed to be hiding in tunnels underneath the city of Rafah, which is under IDF control.
While Israel has ruled out permitting the terrorists to withdraw from Rafah to Hamas-controlled territory with their weapons, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is said to be considering allowing them to leave in exchange for disarming and handing over the remains of Hadar Goldin, an IDF soldier killed in 2014.
However, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Wednesday that IDF forces in Rafah were close to wiping out the terrorists holed up in the city’s tunnel network.
“We need to eliminate the 200 terrorists stuck in Rafah. We’re close to killing them in the tunnels,” Smotrich told Kan.
“Under no circumstances will we pay with another 200 terrorists,” Smotrich continued. “Returning them would be a betrayal of the fallen soldiers. I’ve been saying this to the prime minister, the chief of staff, and the defense minister, don’t you dare do that.”
Winter said combat soldiers and reservists would receive the highest priority for state benefits.
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