The Israeli military has taken control of much of Hamas’ strategic tunnel system in the Gazan city of Khan Younis and believes it is making progress in its hunt for Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, according to two Israeli defense officials.
Why it matters: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that the war in Gaza will take months and “must not end” until Hamas’ leadership in the enclave is killed.
- Netanyahu is facing growing international pressure to end or scale back Israel’s military operations in Gaza as the death toll climbs. The Ministry of Health in Hamas-run Gaza said on Monday that more than 27,400 Palestinians — the majority of whom were women and children — have been killed since the war began after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack.
- President Biden, who U.S. officials say is growing increasingly frustrated with Netanyahu, pressed the Israeli leader last month to scale down the offensive, saying he was not in it for a year of war.
Driving the news: Israeli intelligence believes Sinwar and other Hamas leaders, including Mohammed Deif and Marwan Issa, have been hiding in Khan Younis since early stages of the war.
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Article URL : https://www.axios.com/2024/02/05/netanyahu-gaza-war-hamas-sinwar-tunnels