Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed in an interview with Germany’s Bild newspaper around 13,000 “terrorists” were among Palestinians killed during Israel’s air and ground assault on Gaza. The ongoing campaign, initiated in response to the October 7 Hamas-led attack on southern Israel, has resulted in nearly 31,000 reported Palestinian casualties, mentioned Palestinian health authorities.
The Gaza Health Ministry hasn’t provided a detailed breakdown of the death toll between civilians and Hamas militants, but it noted 72 per cent of those killed were women and children. In contrast, Hamas disputes Israeli figures for militants killed, dismissing them as attempts to create “fake victories.”
Netanyahu outlined the importance of extending Israel’s offensive into Rafah in southern Gaza, considering it crucial to defeating Hamas. According to the PM, three-quarters of Hamas battalions have been destroyed, and he believes that halting the offensive now would only allow them to regroup.
In the interview, Netanyahu stated, “We are very close to victory… Once we begin military action against the remaining terror battalions in Rafah, it is only a question of weeks until the intensive phase of fighting is concluded.”
While the interview excerpts were made available by Bild to Reuters, the Palestinian health authorities and Israel seem to have differing narratives about the impact and success of the offensive in Gaza. The situation remains complex, with ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
