Tel Aviv: Israel’s military announced Tuesday that it is redirecting its focus to Gaza following a ceasefire agreement with Iran. “We have concluded a significant phase, but the campaign against Iran is not over. We are entering a new phase based on the achievements of the current one,” Army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir stated during a situational assessment.
According to Anadolu Agency, Zamir asserted that Israel has been successful in delaying Iran’s nuclear program by several years. He emphasized that the military’s attention is now on Gaza, with objectives including the return of hostages and the dismantling of the Hamas regime. Zamir expressed pride in leading the organization through these challenging times.
The ceasefire, proposed by the United States, began early Tuesday after 12 days of aerial combat between Israel and Iran, which had commenced on June 13. This shift in focus comes as Israel continues its offensive against Gaza, which started in October 2023 and has resulted in the deaths of over 56,000 Palestinians, many of whom were women and children.
Israel’s stated goal in Gaza is to secure the release of approximately 50 hostages held by Hamas and to dismantle the Palestinian resistance group. In addition, last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice related to its actions in the enclave.