• Source:REUTERS
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Israel on Tuesday said that its troops were operating deep in Gaza City and the leader of the Islamist militant group was trapped there. Israel, who launched an attack on Gaza in retaliation to the surprise attack by Hamas on October 7, has now its focus on Gaza City, a stronghold of Hamas in the north of the territory.

He further mentioned that Hamas' most senior leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, was isolated in his bunker, adding that it was Sinwar "who a month ago made the murderous decision to attack Israeli civilians, women, and children."

And now, he is "cut off from his surroundings, his chain of command is weakening," Gallant said.

In a televised news conference, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said that Israeli soldiers had advanced to the heart of Gaza City and "were tightening the noose". Troops on foot and in armoured vehicles and tanks "have one target - Hamas terrorists in Gaza, their infrastructure, their commanders, bunkers, communications rooms," Gallant said.

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Earlier in an interview, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said, "We are increasing pressure on Hamas every hour, every day. So far, we have killed thousands of terrorists, above ground and below ground."

The military wing of Hamas, which has ruled the small, densely populated enclave for 16 years, said its fighters were inflicting heavy losses and damage on advancing Israeli forces.

The war broke out when Hamas fighters burst across the fence enclosing Gaza and killed 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and abducted more than 240, according to Israeli tallies. Since then, Israel has bombarded the coastal territory relentlessly, killing more than 10,000 people, around 40 per cent of them children, according to counts by health officials there.

(With inputs from Reuters)