IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir toured the northern Gaza Strip on Sunday and held a situational assessment with senior officers following the approval of Operation Gideon’s Chariots.
He was joined by Southern Command head Maj.-Gen. Yaniv Asor and other top commanders.
During the visit, Zamir met with troops from the 401st Brigade operating in the area and gave his approval for continued combat operations.
“We launched Operation Gideon’s Chariots over the weekend,” said Zamir. “We will continue until we break the enemy’s fighting capability—until we defeat it wherever we operate. We cannot go back to October 7. There are two main objectives before us: the return of the hostages and the defeat of Hamas.”
Zamir noted that the army would support the government’s efforts to reach a hostage deal.
“The IDF will allow flexibility for the government to promote any hostage deal,” he said. “A hostage deal is not a halt—it’s an achievement. We are acting toward that.”
He ended by praising the troops for their resolve.
“Keep operating, fulfill your missions, and strike the enemy,” he said. “I am aware of the gravity of this moment and the challenges ahead. I hold you in high regard—I trust you.”
IDF begins Operation Gideon’s Chariots
The IDF announced on Sunday that it had already, over the weekend, increased the pace of expanding the Gaza invasion, including killing dozens of Hamas terrorists and striking 670 Hamas targets.
Over the weekend, Israeli forces invaded and started to take control over large portions of northern and southern Gaza, which they had not entered in such large numbers of forces since 2024.
IDF attacks focused on Hamas forces, their weapons, tunnels, and anti-tank missile crews.
Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report.
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