According to reports from Al Jazeera, the Israeli regime’s assaults on the Gaza Strip continue unabated, even after more than four months since a ceasefire was initiated. The occupiers show no intention of withdrawing from Gaza, contrary to the terms of the ceasefire agreement. On Monday, Bezalel Smotrich, the fascist finance minister of the Israeli regime, made audacious remarks stating, ‘We will ultimately occupy the Gaza Strip and create Jewish settlements there.’In a conversation with Israeli radio, Smotrich implicitly acknowledged Tel Aviv’s failure to eliminate Hamas, asserting, ‘We have not abandoned our goal of destroying Hamas.’ He also mentioned giving Donald Trump, the President of the United States, the opportunity to achieve this in his own way. If Trump fails to eliminate Hamas, the Israeli army will seek international legitimacy and U.S. support to carry out this objective.Continuing his provocative rhetoric, Smotrich announced that Hamas would soon receive an ultimatum to surrender all weapons, headquarters, and tunnels. He stated, ‘If they comply, there will be no issue; however, if they do not, we will have the legitimacy for independent action.’On another note the Israeli army claimed that its 7th Brigade completed a three-month mission in Rafah located in the southern Gaza Strip where they reportedly destroyed 8.5 kilometers of tunnels in the southern region. The occupying army stated that direct confrontations occurred between its forces and Hamas during the tunnel-clearing operations in Rafah.
