A little more than a month after the Gaza cease-fire took effect as part of the hostage-release deal, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir held a situational assessment Sunday in the Gaza Division before touring the Rafah area with senior commanders.
Joined by Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor and additional division and brigade commanders, Zamir said the IDF must remain prepared for a quick transition to a broader offensive if needed.
“Alongside the current operational process, we must be ready for a rapid move to large-scale activity to establish operational control of areas in the Gaza Strip beyond the Yellow Line,” he said.
Zamir noted that the military continues to operate in a shifting reality and is still facing challenges across several arenas despite the end of the war. “In the Gaza Strip, we maintain operational control of more than 50 percent of the territory, without controlling the civilian population,” he said. “Our forces continue to operate along the Yellow Line to clear the area and eliminate enemy pockets.”
The Yellow Line serves as a key perimeter for containment and control, Zamir said, adding that troops are working to prevent Hamas from rebuilding its capabilities by holding strategic terrain and controlling access points into Gaza. He said Southern Command will continue its campaign to eliminate militants and destroy underground infrastructure while maintaining strict force protection.
As part of the ongoing cease-fire framework, Zamir said the IDF will continue insisting that Hamas rule not be allowed to return. “Even if this requires time, we will persist in the mission to dismantle Hamas and demilitarize the Gaza Strip, achieving this through an agreement or through military means,” he said.
Zamir also addressed the meta-investigations into the failures of October 7. He said he established the expert inquiry committee immediately after taking office, out of a commitment to the truth and a need to drive a deep process of learning and implementation. “We will not fear the implications. Everything is for advancing the IDF toward growth, learning, and progress,” he said.
“We will remember the events of October 7 forever, but also the significant achievements in all arenas,” Zamir added. “Ahead of us is the task of reviewing the entire war. This is a heroic war, and its achievements belong to you. I, and all the people of Israel, appreciate your actions and your achievements.”