IDF: No end to war until Hamas removed as a threat

Southern Command Commander Major General Yaniv Asor made this statement today (Monday) about the IDF's war aims:

"Since October 7th we have been at war," declared Southern Command chief Major General Yinon Asor, "a war for our right to live as a free people in our land, a war for our ability to maintain the Jewish home. Historic days in which we are initiating, surprising, daring and attacking the head of the snake, the octopus of evil of Iran."

"We will not live while Hamas is here and there is a threat to the State of Israel from the Gaza Strip," he emphasized, "we will not end the war before we remove this threat. And at the same time this attack is the one that advances the return of the hostages, in recent days the bodies, and I believe with complete faith, we will not cease until we return our living brothers because it is in our soul.

"In a spirit of initiative and aggressiveness, determination and persistence," the commander continued, "stubbornness, stubbornness we will not give up until you have conquered the Seventy Ridge, the ridge that controls Gaza and immeasurably improves our ability to defend Netivot, Sderot, Ofakim, Sa'ad, Kfar Aza, Alumim, Nahal Oz. When residents look at the mountain they see the Israeli flag, they see outposts, they feel safe to return here. We will not cease until we defeat them, defeat Hamas and return our kidnapped brothers."