Defense Minister Gallant visited IDF forces in Rafah and the Philadelphi Corridor today (Wednesday), where he conducted a situational assessment with Southern Command commander Yaron Finkelman and other senior IDF officers, according to Israel Hayom.
While there, he said that "returning the hostages is our most important mission in Gaza now. Your application of pressure creates the conditions for achieving this goal."
Addressing the IDF's success in eliminating Yahya Sinwar, Gallant said "you are pressuring, working, watching, raiding, operating, encircling...the enemy makes a mistake, suffers a blow. So the result achieved from this elimination is your result."
In addition to the importance of returning the hostages, Gallant said that "we have permanent missions. One is to protect the settlements and the forces and the other is to preserve freedom of action to do everything we need to within Gaza - with a brigade or a battalion - in order to be able to guard Gaza."