Halewi asserts, "The system is falling apart" following ongoing surrenders

The Israeli National Security Council announced that approximately 7,000 Palestinian fighters have been killed in combats to date. "Hamas' infrastructure is gradually crumbling," stated the Chief of the General Staff of the Israeli Defense Forces.

"With each passing day, we witness an increase in the death and injuries of terrorists. Lately, we have noticed terrorists capitulating, indicating a system failure and a signifier that we must increase the pressure," declared General Herci Halewi during the Hanukkah candle-lighting ceremony with soldiers at Jerusalem's Western Wall.

On the same day, Hanegbi, the head of the Israeli National Security Council, in an interview with Channel 12 TV, conjectured that in the ongoing conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, over 7,000 Palestinian fighters have been killed. "These are minimum estimates. The actual number could be higher as we aren't fully aware of the extent of damage in the collapsed areas, the tunnels, and so on. These are however cautious estimates," Hanegbi emphasized.

When questioned about the duration of the operation in the Gaza Strip, Hanegbi stated, "The Americans have not established any deadline." He further added that the timeframe required to achieve the war objectives in the Gaza Strip "cannot be quantified in weeks... and I am uncertain if it can even be measured in months."

As per Times of Israel, Hanegbi suggested that the leader of Hamas, Yahya Sinwar wishes to see his organization fight till the end. "However, if we neutralized him — which is part of the plan — it's plausible that his successors would realize the necessity of leaving Gaza to avoid meeting the same fate, resulting in their defeat," added the head of the National Security Council.