JERUSALEM, Israel – As Israel's achievements in Gaza expand, Hamas has agreed to pause the fighting so hundreds of thousands of Gazans can be vaccinated against polio.
At the same time, Israel claims the war in the north must be expanded to restore security to the citizens there.
The Israel Defense Forces say troops have destroyed about 80 percent of Hamas' tunnels that could be used to smuggle weapons into Gaza from Egypt.
The IDF also claims its fighters have basically collapsed the Hamas Rafah Brigade, believed to be one of the terror group's biggest and best cadre of fighters.
"The IDF’s military achievements in Gaza have enabled the return of most of the southern communities to their homes," declared Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. "The military achievements have also created the conditions that enabled the return of a large number of hostages, and created the conditions required to return a large number of the remaining hostages.”
With the threat of a polio outbreak erupting in Gaza, both the IDF and Hamas have agreed to staggered three-day pauses in the fighting in various areas of Gaza to allow more than 640,000 children to be vaccinated.
Dr. Mike Ryan of the World Health Organization's Health Emergency Program stated, "This agreement is a testament to our collective commitment to overcome barriers and protect every child from polio.”
Abdel-Rahman Abu El-Jedian is the first Gazan child in 25 years to contract polio. He was just a month old when the war in Gaza started, and his family had to flee from camp to camp. His mother, Nevine, said, "My son was not vaccinated because of the continued displacement, and we are sheltering here in the tent in such health conditions where there is no medication, no capabilities, no supplements."
Meanwhile, Gallant contends that the goals of the present war must be expanded beyond Gaza to cover what's needed in Israel's north. More than 60,000 Israelis there have been forced from their homes by near-daily shelling and drone attacks from Hezbollah.
"Our mission on the northern front is clear – to ensure the safe return of northern communities to their homes. In order to achieve this goal, we must expand the goals of the war, and include the safe return of Israel’s northern residents to their homes," the defense minister declared.
Gallant insists expanding the war up north will not diminish Israel's commitment to dismantling Hamas and returning all of the hostages.
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