(JNS) The Israel Defense Forces has submitted new operational proposals to the political echelon aimed at amplifying its achievements and deepening its strategic gains in the Gaza Strip, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said on Sunday.

Zamir made the remarks during a field tour and situational assessment in the coastal enclave, accompanied by Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor, head of the IDF Southern Command, and other senior officers.

“You are operating with courage in a war that is as just as can be,” Zamir told troops in Shejaiya. “Our objectives, and your achievements, will lead to a lasting security shift for years to come.”

Referencing recent events, Zamir pointed to the massacre of Druze civilians in Sweida, Syria, as a stark reminder of the region’s volatility. “In the Middle East, those who cannot defend themselves cannot live in security. Terrorist organizations and jihadist groups pose a threat on every front, and we must confront them — just as you are doing here,” he said.

He noted that recent battlefield successes—including the elimination of terrorists, dismantling of surface and underground infrastructure, and securing of wide areas—now pave the way for updated tactics.

“We will implement new operational formats that amplify our strengths, reduce vulnerabilities, and deepen our achievements,” he said. “These steps will increase pressure on Hamas. We have presented these options to the political level, and we will work to stabilize the situation in line with our national interests.”

The chief of staff also emphasized that progress made as part of Operation “Gideon’s Chariots” is driving Hamas closer to defeat and may open the door to a potential hostage deal.

He highlighted that the Israeli Air Force conducted strikes on approximately 75 terror targets throughout Gaza on Sunday.

“Unfortunately, war comes with losses,” Zamir added. “Our soldiers fell during a sacred mission—to protect the communities nearby. This fight cannot be won through defense alone; we must go on the offensive. That is a central lesson of Oct. 7.”

Earlier on Sunday, the IDF announced that Paratroopers Brigade forces, operating under the 36th Division, had completed their mission in the Khan Yunis area of southern Gaza.

During the operation, troops engaged in close-quarters combat and coordinated with the Israeli Air Force to eliminate terrorists. They also dismantled terrorist infrastructure, including military compounds, weapons depots, and several underground tunnel routes used by Hamas.

The brigade will now redeploy to the Judea and Samaria region for its next assignment, the IDF said.

Meanwhile, troops operating in Gaza City continued to dismantle terrorist infrastructure and directed aerial strikes against enemy cells preparing attacks. In the Beit Hanoun area of northern Gaza, Israeli forces encountered and eliminated several terrorists. In the south, soldiers uncovered dozens of terror sites and multiple tunnel shafts.

Also on Sunday, the IDF confirmed the targeted killing of Bashar Thabet on July 10 in the Nuseirat area. Thabet was a commander in Hamas’s Development and Projects Department within its weapons production headquarters.

The IDF also issued an evacuation order for Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip for the first time since the start of the war sparked by Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border massacre.

“The IDF continues to operate with great force to destroy enemy capabilities and terrorist infrastructure in the area, expanding its activities to an area where it has not previously operated,” Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee, head of the Arab Media Branch in the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, stated in an X post.

A majority of Israelis want Gaza to remain under Israeli military rule after the war ends, according to a survey published by the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs (JCFA).

The poll, conducted by Menachem Lazar of Lazar Research at the beginning of July, found that 52% support an Israeli takeover of Gaza with a temporary military administration—if all hostages are first released. Only 4% believe Hamas should remain in power, whether politically or militarily.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has defined the war’s goals as bringing back all 50 hostages, dismantling Hamas’s terror and governing infrastructure, and eliminating future threats emanating from Gaza.

Want more news from Israel?
Click Here to sign up for our FREE daily email updates