Israeli army chief says Gaza demilitarization remains top goal

JERUSALEM, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Israeli army chief Eyal Zamir said on Friday that Israel remains committed to the complete demilitarization of the Gaza Strip and the disarmament of Hamas, according to a statement issued by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

"We are not giving up on the war goal -- the complete demilitarization of the Gaza Strip and the disarmament of Hamas," Zamir said during a tour of the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah.

Accompanied by senior commanders, he ordered forces to intensify clearing operations in the area with a focus on destroying tunnel networks.

The army chief noted that troops are deployed along the "Yellow Line," demarcating Israeli-controlled areas under the ceasefire, systematically clearing "terrorist" infrastructure while controlling access to the strip.

Earlier on Friday, the IDF said in a statement that its troops in the northern Gaza Strip identified two militants entering a structure east of the "Yellow Line." The Israeli Air Force subsequently struck the building, with a hit confirmed.

A day earlier, senior Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi said Palestinian factions would not give up their weapons unless Israel fully adheres to the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.

The latest Hamas-Israel ceasefire, in effect since Oct. 10, 2025, initially focused on prisoner exchanges and humanitarian aid to Gaza. A proposed second phase of the peace plan calls for a full Israeli military withdrawal, the disarmament of Hamas, and the start of reconstruction in the enclave under a transitional governing authority.■