Israel National News reports: “Yesterday (Tuesday), on Israeli Independence Day, the Chief of the General Staff, LTG Herzi Halevi, held a situational assessment in the Rafah area in the southern Gaza Strip, along with the commanding officers of the 162nd Division, Commanding Officer of the Southern Command, MG Yaron Finkelman, Commanding Officer of the 162nd Division, BG Itzik Cohen and additional commanders.

Chief of Staff Halevi said, ‘We are striking widely and strongly in the north of the Gaza Strip in Jabaliya. And once again we see there attempts [by Hamas] to hold on and rebuild, therefore we need to deal with this again, and prove that we will return each time.’

‘We’re determined, we won’t let Hamas rebuild itself and they will pay a price,’ Halevi vowed. ‘In my opinion, in the last day or two, the number of terrorists eliminated per day has increased, which is important, and we want to return to eliminating many terrorists each day. Memorial Day was very, very meaningful, with many newly bereaved families.’…”