Israel's defence minister said Sunday that the war against Hamas could take "months" but insisted it would be the last against the Gaza militant group.
Yoav Gallant stepped up the war of words with Hamas as he spoke with forces gathered for an expected ground invasion of the Palestinian territory in response to the shock Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7.
"It will take one month, two months, three months, and at the end there will be no more Hamas," Gallant said at an air force base whose location was not given by the defence ministry.
The Hamas-run health ministry said Sunday that more than 4,600 people have been killed in the strikes so far, including 1,873 children.
Rescuers search for victims or survivors under the rubble of a house destroyed in an Israeli strike on Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Sunday. AFP
