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Israel army says Hamas command structure ‘dismantled’ in north Gaza

  • Militants in the area are now operating sporadically and ‘without commanders’, and the focus is now on the centre and south of the Gaza Strip, a spokesman says
  • Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his government has directed the army to ‘eliminate Hamas’ and return all hostages

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An Israeli artillery unit fires near the Gaza border on Saturday. Photo: Reuters

The Israeli army said on Saturday it had “completed the dismantling” of Hamas’s command structure in the northern Gaza Strip.

“We have completed the dismantling of the Hamas military framework in the northern Gaza Strip,” army spokesman Daniel Hagari told reporters.

He added that Palestinian militants were now operating in the area only sporadically and “without commanders”.

“Now the focus is on dismantling Hamas in the centre of the Gaza Strip and in the south of the Gaza Strip,” he said, while acknowledging that the task will take time.

Smoke rises during Israeli military operations in the east of al-Maghazi, al-Bureij and al-Nuseirat refugee camps in the Gaza Strip on Saturday. Photo: EPA-EFE
Smoke rises during Israeli military operations in the east of al-Maghazi, al-Bureij and al-Nuseirat refugee camps in the Gaza Strip on Saturday. Photo: EPA-EFE

Israel vowed to crush Gaza’s Hamas rulers after they carried out the deadliest attack in the country’s history on October 7.

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