Netanyahu Vows to Crush Terror Networks in Samaria
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Monday that Israelโs campaign against terrorism will go far beyond eliminating attackers on the ground. His comments followed a deadly shooting in Jerusalem that left six people dead and more than a dozen injured.
Speaking at the Israeli Air Force command center in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu declared:
โEliminating these two terrorists is not enough. Hunting down their supporters is not enough. My directive is clear: dismantle terror at its roots.โ
He highlighted recent IDF operations in northern Samaria, where forces flattened militant infrastructure in three refugee camps as part of โOperation Iron Wall.โ Netanyahu said this modelโevacuating areas and wiping out terrorist strongholdsโwill now expand to other locations.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir reinforced the message, announcing a full closure of the terroristsโ home area and pledging relentless operations against militant networks. Defense Minister Israel Katz followed with sweeping sanctions: demolition of illegal buildings in the perpetratorsโ villages and the cancellation of 750 entry permits for their relatives.
Early Tuesday, IDF forces broadened counter-terror operations across Judea and Samaria, mapping out the homes of attackers Mohammad Taha and Muthanna Amro in preparation for demolition.
The attack, carried out in Jerusalemโs Ramot neighborhood, ended when both gunmen were shot dead by an IDF soldier and an armed civilian. Hamas praised the assault as a โheroic operation,โ urging Palestinians to escalate confrontations.
Four IDF Soldiers Killed in Gaza Blast
The Israel Defense Forces on Monday identified four soldiers killed in northern Gaza after terrorists targeted a Merkava tank with an explosive device.
The fallen soldiersโall from the 401st Armored Brigadeโwere named as:
- Stf. Sgt. Uri Lamed, 20, from Tel Mond
- Sgt. Gadi Cotal, 20, from Afikim
- Sgt. Amit Arye Regev, 19, from Modiโin-Maccabim-Reโut
- Lt. Matan Abramovitz, 21, from Ganei Tikvah
An infantry fighter from the Nahal Brigade was also seriously wounded.
The incident took place in Gaza Cityโs Sheikh Radwan neighborhood. According to reports, at least one terrorist was killed in the clash.
Prime Minister Netanyahu extended condolences to the families, calling the soldiers โheroes who sacrificed themselves for the defeat of Hamas and the return of our hostages.โ Defense Minister Israel Katz also expressed deep sorrow, offering support to the bereaved families and wishing the wounded soldier a full recovery.
Israel Orders Mass Evacuation of Gaza City
The Israel Defense Forces on Tuesday morning ordered the evacuation of all Gaza City residents, following Prime Minister Netanyahuโs announcement of a โmajor actionโ against Hamas strongholds there.
Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee, the IDFโs Arabic-language spokesperson, warned residents:
โFor your safety, evacuate immediately via the Al-Rashid Corridor toward the Al-Mawasi humanitarian zone. Remaining in Gaza City is extremely dangerous.โ
The directive came hours after Netanyahu revealed that the IDF had already destroyed dozens of high-rise towers used as Hamas command centers. He described these strikes as only the โopening stageโ of a much larger ground maneuver.
Netanyahu told residents directly:
โYou have been warned. Leave Gaza City now.โ
According to Israeli estimates, around 100,000 Palestinians have already fled, though as many as 300,000 may remain.
Defense Minister Israel Katz described the campaign as a โhurricaneโ that leveled 30 high-rises in a single day, saying Hamas would be destroyed if it refused to disarm and release the remaining hostages.
The offensive stems from an Aug. 8 Cabinet decision to seize control of Gaza City. The IDF has already secured about 40% of the city, with its forces preparing for a decisive assault.
Netanyahu has outlined Israelโs conditions for ending the war: Hamas must disarm, all hostages must be returned, Gaza must be demilitarized, Israel must retain security control, and a new civilian administration must replace Hamas rule.
