Gallant: We will continue until Hamas is destroyed and all hostages are freed; no one can dictate to us

Yoav Gallant, Israel's Defense Minister, said on Wednesday: "Our goal and duty is the destruction of Hamas and the return of the hostages home, so we will continue our military operations in Gaza regardless of global pressures until we achieve all our objectives." Referring to the death of 10 Israeli soldiers in clashes on Tuesday in the Shuja'iyya neighborhood in northern Gaza, which is considered one of the heaviest casualties for Israeli forces since the beginning of the ground attack on Gaza, he added: "This war has costs, but we will prevail." Gallant also expressed confidence that the continuation of Israel's military operations in Gaza would pressure Hamas to agree to another deal for the release of hostages. He also acknowledged the increasing international pressures on Israel to reduce its airstrikes in Gaza, noting: "We will continue our attacks with strength. Both in the north and south of Gaza, and no one can dictate to us what to do." The Israeli Defense Minister rejected the rising tensions between Israel and the U.S. over the war in Gaza, stating that U.S. government officials are "working much harder" than expected to assist Israel, and that they are also looking for ways to satisfy the Americans, as this is key because they want us to succeed. On Tuesday, the U.S. voted against a draft resolution in the UN General Assembly calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, said at a press conference on Wednesday that an early ceasefire at this stage would mean the survival of Hamas, the preservation of its weapons and military infrastructure, and a repetition of similar attacks on Israel like that of October 7. He added that the October 7 attack should alert the world that the continued rule of Hamas in Gaza is not in anyone's interest.