IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir conducted a tour of Gaza on Tuesday together with Southern Command Chief Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor, Gaza Division Commander Brig. Gen. Liron Bitito, and brigade and battalion commanders.
During the tour, Zamir spoke with commanders, who briefed him on the operational situation and the activities of IDF forces in the area.
Zamir expressed his appreciation for the soldiers and commanders operating in Gaza to protect Israeli civilians. Referring to the ongoing campaign, he said: “In about a month and a half, we will mark three years since October 7. Three years in which the IDF has faced a complex, continuous, multi-front campaign-in Gaza, Judea and Samaria, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, and additional arenas."
He added: “This is a very significant challenge for the IDF, and we have achieved extraordinary results on every front and in every sector. Our forces have prevailed in every battle, significantly weakened all our enemies, and struck their capabilities and infrastructure. We continue to prepare and remain vigilant on all fronts, understanding that the campaign is not over."
Zamir addressed the IDF’s objectives in Gaza, stating: “In Gaza, we are not giving up on the overriding objective-demilitarizing Gaza and dismantling Hamas, using all necessary means. We continue to systematically target Hamas and its leaders wherever they are, as part of an ongoing campaign to prevent it from rebuilding its strength."
The IDF chief also addressed the pursuit of terrorists who participated in the October 7 massacre: “The pursuit of the October 7 terrorists continues. Anyone who took part in the massacre will be hunted down until they are all eliminated. This is a long-term mission to which the command and the entire IDF are committed."
Zamir said the IDF has changed its approach following the October 7 attacks: “Our message is clear: We investigated and are learning the lessons. The IDF will not return to the concepts we experienced on October 6. There will be no containment of threats."
“We will not allow the enemy to rebuild itself, we will not allow terrorist infrastructure to become established, and we will act whenever possible to eliminate threats as they emerge," he said.
“We are listening to the voices of the residents, understand their concerns, and will know how to reach anyone behind a threat against them," Zamir said. “Our forces are deployed on the front lines ahead of the communities and continue to thwart terrorist infrastructure and terrorists."
Zamir also addressed the movement of forces between different fronts, noting that only about three months ago he had met commanders of the Givati Brigade and 401st Brigade on the northern border. “Now you are here, continuing to deepen the achievements in Gaza. Southern Command and the division continue to precisely thwart threats whenever the opportunity arises."
The IDF chief praised the forces’ activities, saying: “There are tremendous achievements here, based on the determined and uncompromising activity of the forces on the ground. This is also not the first time I have met the reservist battalion of the 11th Brigade. The battalion is mobilized for 90 days in this round. I am aware of the extraordinary burden on reservists and their families. We are committed to continuing to act on your behalf."