National Union Party chairman Minister Benny Gantz today (Monday) met with leaders of the communities of southern Israel in Ashkelon and lit the candles of the fifth night of Hanukkah in the Sderot police station that was attacked on October 7.
"The military operation is expanding and intensifying in southern and northern Gaza, and also in the north against Hezbollah, which is being removed from the border and suffering losses," Gantz said.
He added, "At this point - the Hamas leadership has lost control over a large part of the territory. Hamas fighters are surrendering or being killed. We are thoroughly dismantling the military apparatus so that it can never be assembled again. The [rocket] launch capability still exists but has been severely damaged, and the fighting continues."
On the discussions of who will rule Gaza after the current war ends, Gantz said: "It is important to emphasize - we will hold the territories in the Gaza Strip for a long period of time, we will act militarily wherever a Hamas member raises his head or his weapon and we will make sure that the IDF soldiers can be seen from the windows of the houses of the residents in the south."
"Our operation is aimed at continuing the dismantling of Hamas, the return of the hostages, and enabling the return of some residents to their homes in a process that will begin in the coming weeks and under the direction of the IDF - here in Sderot as well," he emphasized.
Minister Gantz said: "When I entered Lebanon as a soldier, we would look back at night at the lights of the Israeli communities and knew that we were there to protect them. This protection has a heavy price, and I would like to offer my condolences to the families of the soldiers who fell in defense of all of us."