The Israeli military has announced the conclusion of significant combat operations in northern Gaza, stating that it has successfully dismantled the military capabilities of Hamas in that region. This development comes as the conflict with the militant group reaches its fourth month.

Late on Saturday, Israel Defense Forces spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, stated that the forces would persist and “continue to deepen the achievement” in that area. Additionally, he mentioned that they would bolster the defenses along the border fence separating Israel and Gaza and shift their attention to the central and southern regions of the territory. The military remained silent on future troop placements in northern Gaza, Politico reports.

The statement was made just before U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's planned visit to Israel.

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Officials from the Biden administration, including Blinken, have consistently advised Israel to scale down its intense air and ground campaign in Gaza. They suggest focusing on more precise operations targeting Hamas leaders, aiming to minimize collateral damage to Palestinian civilians.

Over the past few weeks, Israel had been gradually reducing its military operations in northern Gaza while intensifying its campaign in the southern part of the territory. This shift has led to the majority of Gaza's 2.3 million residents being confined to increasingly smaller spaces, increasing the ongoing humanitarian crisis. Concurrently, these areas are facing relentless bombardment from Israeli airstrikes.

Since the Hamas terror attack in early October, there was a steep increase in far-left protests against Israel that attempted to disrupt Christmas and the 2023 New Year celebrations for Palestine.https://t.co/Cyy0iEQJEs

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The conflict began following a terrorist attack carried out by Hamas on southern Israel on October 7, killing approximately 1,200 Israelis, predominantly civilians, and captured around 250 people, holding them as hostages.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has firmly stated that the conflict will continue until all goals are achieved. These include the complete neutralization of Hamas, the safe return of all Israeli hostages, and the assurance that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel.