Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant declared on Tuesday (November 14) that Hamas has lost control of the Gaza Strip after 16 years as the Israel Defense Force (IDF) is on the verge of capturing Gaza City.
According to The Times of Israel, Gallant made the statement after an assessment of the fighting in the city, saying that Israeli forces were advancing "according to plans and [carrying] out the tasks accurately [and] lethally."
"There is no force of Hamas capable of stopping the IDF," he said. "The IDF is advancing to every point. The Hamas organization has lost control of Gaza. Terrorists are fleeing south. Civilians are looting Hamas bases. They have no confidence in the government."
Gallant also said that the IDF has "intensified" its activity against Hamas tunnels in recent days.
"We work according to tasks," he added, referring to Foreign Minister Eli Cohen's earlier indication that international pressure might force Israel to alter its actions in Gaza. "We don't have a stopwatch. We have goals. We will achieve our goals."
Hamas Offers Deal to Release 70 Hostages in Exchange of 5-Day Truce
Meanwhile, Reuters reported that the al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's armed wing, said on Monday (November 13) that it told Qatari mediators that it was ready to release up to 70 women and children held in Gaza in exchange for a five-day truce with Israel.
"Last week there was an effort from the Qatari brothers to release the enemy captives from women and children, in return for the release of 200 Palestinian children and 75 women detained by the enemy," Hamas spokesman Abu Ubaida said in an audio recording posted on its Telegram channel.
Hamas added that the truce should include what it said was "a complete ceasefire" and "allow aid and humanitarian relief" across the strip.
Abu Ubaida also accused Israel of "procrastinating and evading" the price of the deal.
Israeli authorities are yet to respond to Hamas's deal as of writing.
