Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the intense phase of fighting in Rafah in southern Gaza is nearly over, but does not mean the war is coming to an end.
He disclosed this on Sunday during an interview, saying the war would continue until Hamas was completely driven from power.
Mr Netanyahu added that the Israeli military would soon be able to redeploy troops to the border with Lebanon, where exchanges of fire with Hezbollah have been escalating.
The Israeli Prime Minister again rejected the idea that the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority should run Gaza in place of Hamas.
He said he was not ready to establish a Palestinian state there, or hand over to the Palestinian Authority.
Residents of Rafah said there had been more clashes in the city, while Israeli air strikes on Gaza City are reported to have killed the Hamas-run health ministry’s director of emergency services.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant is starting a visit to Washington, to discuss the war in Gaza and the escalating tensions with Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran.
The Israeli military launched a campaign to destroy Hamas in response to the Palestinian armed group’s unprecedented attack on southern Israel on 7 October, during which about 1,200 people – mostly civilians – were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.