"Israeli" army must maintain permanent presence around Gaza, says Katz

"Israeli" Defense Minister Israel Katz stated on Tuesday that "defeating Hamas in Gaza and creating conditions for the return of the captives are the two main objectives of the war in Gaza," adding that "Israel" must take all necessary measures to achieve them.

Katz emphasized that "Israel" must also ensure long-term security for its population centers by maintaining a permanent "Israeli" military presence in strategically selected areas of Gaza.

"We must guarantee the safety and security of Israeli communities by maintaining a permanent IDF presence in a security zone surrounding strategic points in Gaza, from which attacks can be prevented and weapons smuggling stopped," he said.

The defense minister added that once the political leadership makes the required decisions, the military will execute them with professionalism, as it has on all fronts of the ongoing war.

"As defense minister responsible for the army, my role is to ensure this is achieved, and that is exactly what I intend to do," he affirmed.

Katz’s remarks come amid growing speculation that the "Israeli" government is seriously considering fully occupy the entire Gaza Strip.

"Israel’s" Channel 12 reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet with both IOF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and Defense Minister Katz to discuss potential next steps. Senior officials in Netanyahu’s office reportedly said one of the expected decisions is a full occupation of Gaza.

Public broadcaster Kan also reported that Netanyahu wants the "Israeli" army to take complete control of Gaza and that he has made this known to several ministers.