Eyal Zamir, the chief of staff of the Israeli military, said on Tuesday that while a “chapter” in the conflict with Iran is over, Israel’s “campaign” against the country is not and that for now, the IDF will focus on the destruction of Gaza.
“We have concluded a significant chapter, but the campaign against Iran is not over. We are entering a new phase, one that builds upon the achievements of the current operation,” Zamir said after a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran began to hold.
“Now, the focus returns to Gaza, to bringing the hostages home and toppling Hamas rule,” Zamir added. During the 12 days of Israeli attacks on Iran, the Israeli military continued its genocidal onslaught in Gaza, killing dozens of Palestinians each day.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also said that Israel will now turn all of its “strength” on Gaza. “Now [we turn] with all our strength to Gaza, to complete the task: to destroy Hamas and return our hostages and to ensure, with God’s help, many years of security and growth from strength for the people of Israel,” he said.
Smotrich and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have made clear that their ultimate goal is the total destruction of Gaza and the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian population. Last month, Smotrich said that the purpose of the current military operation in Gaza is to “concentrate” the civilian population into a tiny area before forcing them to leave.
“The Gazan citizens will be concentrated in the south. They will be totally despairing, understanding that there is no hope and nothing to look for in Gaza, and will be looking for relocation to begin a new life in other places,” he said.
