Yusuf Hamdan, head of the Palestinian Hamas movement, described Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant's speech as the two sides moved into the third phase of the more than three-month-old war in the Gaza Strip. An illusion for Israeli society,” Hamdan told the Arab World News Agency. The Israeli minister is speaking as if the second or first phase has achieved its goals.

Youssef Hamdan commented on Callant's claim that the Gaza Strip was moving into another phase of the war, with more than 23,000 people and thousands injured. Confusion experienced by an occupying army.”

He said, “Gallant reveals the difference within the occupation government because it has not achieved any goals on the ground.”

Gallant told US newspaper “The Wall Street Journal” yesterday (Monday) that Israel would move into what he described as a “low-intensity phase of fighting” inside the Strip. Gallant said the aforementioned phase was “based on special operations” without specifying a date for its launch. But he warned that the situation “will continue for a long time”.

Hamdan said, “None of Israel's stated goals of ending the resistance, ending Hamas, retrieving prisoners and imposing a new ground reality of displacement on our Palestinian people have been achieved in either the first phase or the second phase,” he said.

Hamden added: “The third phase begins with the impact of the resistance's ability to injure the enemy… (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu, Galant, (Finance Minister Bezalel) Smodrich and (National Defense Minister Itamar) Ben Gvir continue to run forward. They don't want to end the war and want to continue to massacre the Palestinian people without achieving any results either militarily or politically or on the ground. He continued, “These statements are an attempt to sell Israeli society an illusion.”

It comes at a time when Palestinian factions have resumed rocket attacks on Tel Aviv, resulting in sirens. Israeli media reported that several people were injured when the rockets fell.

Hamden said, “Gallant is still reeling in Gaza, Central Governorate, Khan Younis and all the fighting axes.” Images are being relayed by the opposition, and facts on the ground prove that Gallant has achieved none of his goals.

The leader of the Hamas movement said that “US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, during his visit to the region, is trying to circumscribe the war and ensure that the war does not spread beyond the Gaza border.” He added, “Trying to ensure that there is no reaction to the crimes of aggression outside Gaza's borders.”

He emphasized Gaza's readiness to endure a prolonged war. He said, “The resistance confirms that it is ready to face the Zionist enemy for a long time every time … It is better at this street war and has the ability to wear down the enemy for a long time.”