Defense Minister Yoav Gallant today (Thursday) held a situational assessment with the 252nd Sinai Division, a reserve division operating in the northern Gaza Strip against the Hamas terrorist organization.
"We must remember that in Beit Hanoun is the battalion from which the terrorists came to murder and kidnap in Kibbutz Erez, Netiv Ha'Asara, and Sderot. This battle has meaning beyond the symbolic aspect," Gallant told the soldiers of the division.
"We need to ensure that all terrorist infrastructure in Beit Hanoun is destroyed. We will not stop, we will continue with all our might until we eradicate the Hamas organization - we will strike the entire chain of command, military depots, communications channels, tunnels, bunkers, and headquarters, everything," he said.
He added: "The answer to these brutal and barbaric acts is to wipe out Hamas. From here we will move on. If we don't wipe out Hamas in Gaza, we will have ten more of these [massacres] from other places."
"At the end of 2023, there is not a person in the country who does not understand why the reserve system is needed. I remember when I assumed my position - less than a year ago, there were many who asked why it was needed. We tried to explain to them, we gave all the benefits we could to the reserve personnel both before and during the war," Gallant said.
"I see you and I know that everyone here has left a family, a home, a business. Those who are here and those who are in the field have great readiness to do whatever is necessary. I see many old people here, everyone who asked - why do you train year after year? Here is the answer," the Defense Minister concluded.