Tel Aviv, 31 December 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Israel's military has already "eliminated over 8,000 terrorists" in the Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said.

"Step by step, we are wiping out Hamas's capabilities. Hamas will be defeated. Our soldiers will win. The people of Israel will win," Netanyahu was quoted as saying by his office on platform X.

"We are continuing to fight until the goals of the war have been achieved, especially the elimination of Hamas and release of all our hostages," Netanyahu continued. "We will ensure that Gaza no longer constitutes a threat to Israel."

The Gaza war was triggered by Hamas and other groups' brutal terrorist attacks against Israel when they rampaged through Israeli border towns on October 7, killing 1,200 people, including more than 300 at an open-air music festival.

Israel's military then began massive airstrikes and a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. According to the Hamas-controlled health authority in Gaza, 21,672 people have died so far. This figure cannot be independently verified.

Photo: MIA archive