Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant said on Saturday that the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip does not aim to control the Strip permanently, but rather to undermine the capabilities of the Hamas movement and end its control over Gaza.

In a press conference, Galant accused Hamas of causing the collapse of the humanitarian truce after it refused to hand over the 17 women and children it was still holding.

Galant said: “As a result of Hamas’s decision not to implement what was agreed upon, and in accordance with the decisions of the Military Cabinet, I issued instructions to the Israeli army to resume firing on Friday morning.”

He added: “As long as Hamas does not adhere to what is stipulated, we will continue to intensify the fire, and we will work until the goals we have set for ourselves are achieved. “I closely follow the army’s operations.”

Gallant said that the ground operation would continue in the Gaza Strip, and added: “About a month ago, when we were preparing for the ground entry, there were many in (Hamas) who believed that they would be able to stop us.”

He continued: “They thought they were able to create a division in Israeli society between those who thought it was necessary to negotiate and those who thought it was necessary to enter.”

Galant stressed that intensifying the military operation would lead to striking Hamas and eliminating more leaders and more militants.

He pointed out that the intensity of military pressure resulted in the return of 110 detainees, most of whom were Israelis, he said.