Israel has ordered its military to pursue and kill the remaining participants in the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack, with Defence Minister Israel Katz saying about 2,000 of the attackers are still alive.
Katz said on Monday that about 6,000 attackers crossed into Israel during the assault and that 4,000 had since been killed. "We ordered the military to pursue and kill them all, from the most senior to the most junior," he said, adding that the order was issued jointly with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu reinforced the message at a state memorial ceremony at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem on Monday, saying Israel would continue pursuing those who carried out the attack as well as those who held Israeli hostages. He reiterated that Hamas would not be allowed to retain control of Gaza.
The statements came as Israel marked three years since the October 7 assault, which killed about 1,200 people in Israel and triggered the war in Gaza. Israel's military campaign has since killed more than 74,200 people in Gaza, according to the territory's health authorities. Israel has also killed much of Hamas' senior leadership during the conflict, including Yahya Sinwar and his younger brother Mohammad Sinwar.
Netanyahu has continued to defend the military campaign amid international criticism over the scale of destruction and deaths in Gaza, and at the United Nations General Assembly in September he rejected accusations of genocide as "the greatest lie of the century".
Sources:
'Pursue and kill them all': Israel orders hunt for 2,000 remaining October 7 attackers — The Statesman
Israel orders military to hunt down all Oct 7 attackers: Defence Minister — Lokmat Times (IANS)
Katz said on Monday that about 6,000 attackers crossed into Israel during the assault and that 4,000 had since been killed. "We ordered the military to pursue and kill them all, from the most senior to the most junior," he said, adding that the order was issued jointly with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu reinforced the message at a state memorial ceremony at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem on Monday, saying Israel would continue pursuing those who carried out the attack as well as those who held Israeli hostages. He reiterated that Hamas would not be allowed to retain control of Gaza.
The statements came as Israel marked three years since the October 7 assault, which killed about 1,200 people in Israel and triggered the war in Gaza. Israel's military campaign has since killed more than 74,200 people in Gaza, according to the territory's health authorities. Israel has also killed much of Hamas' senior leadership during the conflict, including Yahya Sinwar and his younger brother Mohammad Sinwar.
Netanyahu has continued to defend the military campaign amid international criticism over the scale of destruction and deaths in Gaza, and at the United Nations General Assembly in September he rejected accusations of genocide as "the greatest lie of the century".
Sources:
'Pursue and kill them all': Israel orders hunt for 2,000 remaining October 7 attackers — The Statesman
Israel orders military to hunt down all Oct 7 attackers: Defence Minister — Lokmat Times (IANS)
