On Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) asserted that they had successfully dismantled Hamas’ command structure in northern Gaza. According to IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari, their focus has now shifted to dismantling Hamas in central and southern Gaza. Hagari stated that approximately 8,000 Hamas militants were killed in northern Gaza during these operations. However, CNN cannot independently verify these claims.
Tragically, at least 22,438 people have lost their lives in Gaza due to Israeli military actions following the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. The majority of those killed are women and children, as reported by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in a December release.
Hagari emphasized that the IDF’s efforts to dismantle Hamas would continue, albeit through a different approach. They intend to proceed thoroughly, drawing from the lessons learned during the ongoing conflict.
