Katz in the Philadelphi Axis: "Security Control in Gaza Will Remain in the Hands of the IDF"

Defense Minister Israel Katz visited today (Wednesday) the Philadelphi Corridor in Gaza, together with the Commander of the Southern Command, Major General Yaron Finkelman, and the Commander of the Gaza Division, Brigadier General Barak Hiram.

During the visit, Katz received an operational and intelligence briefing from the commanders on the ground regarding the IDF's activities in the area. He held discussions with the commanders and soldiers on the field, thanking them for their sacrifice and efforts to bring back all the hostages and dismantle Hamas's governmental and military capabilities in Gaza.

"I came to visit inside Gaza to meet the commanders and soldiers who are doing amazing work, showing courage, ingenuity, and determination, seeing before them the need to create the conditions for the release of the hostages and ensure the security of the State of Israel," Katz said. He further declared that "security will remain in the hands of the IDF, which will be able to act in any way to eliminate threats, prevent tunneling, prevent terror infrastructure, prevent terrorist organization, and any attempt to harm the State of Israel or IDF soldiers."

"We will ensure that what we saw in the field of cross-border tunnels, what we saw in terms of threats, alongside the courageous fighting that eliminated these capabilities – will not return. We will ensure that security control remains in the hands of the IDF, which will be authorized to act in any place to prevent threats."

"We will ensure, here in Gaza, as we do with Lebanon, with Syria, and in the east, that no threats will be created for Israeli settlements and citizens of the State of Israel and IDF soldiers. In Gaza, too, we will ensure the existence of security areas, buffer zones, and control points that will safeguard the security of the settlements, and with all of this, we will act to achieve the two main objectives of the war – to bring all the hostages home and to defeat Hamas."

"There will be no ruling Hamas here, and no military Hamas – a different reality will be created here thanks to the ongoing fighting, even now. I met the soldiers and also the reservists; everyone is determined and says: 'Keep going, let us continue to the end, to ensure security and bring back the hostages' - and that is what we will do," concluded the Defense Minister.