IDF Chief of the General Staff Herzi Halevi, conducted a situational assessment Friday in the Jabaliya area in Gaza, together with the Commanding Officer of the Southern Command, MG Yaron Finkelman, the Commanding Officer of the 162nd Division, BG Itzik Cohen and additional commanders.

"We are sending Hamas a very clear message: the IDF does not tire," he said. "The more we fight, the stronger we become, gaining more experience, capabilities, professionalism, values, and determination. We are progressing with great intensity. The fact that you are concluding three weeks here with approximately 1,000 terrorists killed and 1,000 terrorists captured is a significant achievement that deals Hamas a severe blow."

He added, "We are providing the residents near the northern Gaza border with greater security and creating conditions for this security to endure, to not to be fleeting."

"Reaching an agreement is complex, but with the strength you are displaying here and the powerful way in which the IDF is fighting on seven fronts, in seven arenas, Israel is telling the entire Middle East — there is immense strength here, and incredible capability.

"From this position of power, we are supporting our civilians and soldiers who are held hostage and are prepared to fight with tremendous determination, as well as pay a price to bring them home. We are not stopping or slowing down; this is to bring back the hostages, to ensure security for the surrounding communities."