Israel confirmed launching its long-anticipated ground offensive in Gaza City, Hamas’ last stronghold, on Tuesday.
Said Defense Minister Israel Katz, “Gaza is burning. The [Israel military] is striking with an iron fist at the terrorist infrastructure, and soldiers are fighting heroically to create the conditions for the release of the hostages and the defeat of Hamas,” he said. “We will not relent and we will not go back — until the completion of the mission.”
Following his recent visit to Israel, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio conveyed to reporters that a negotiated settlement remains the favored approach for the United States. While AFSi shares this preference as well, it needs to be clear that negotiations with terrorists are futile, especially when their ultimate goal is the annihilation of Israel.
The IDF holds a firm belief that the ground offensive will weaken Hamas’s capabilities, thus fostering conditions that are favorable for the release of the hostages. Despite the increasing civilian displacement and global scrutiny, Israel must persevere through what we hope will be the concluding phase of this operation.