'We will apply more force': Israel Defense Minster vows to continue war with Hamas after truce ends

Israel will continue its war with Hamas with stronger force after the truce ends, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has said. Gallant said that Israel’s military operation will spread across the Gaza Strip. “You have a few days. When we return to fighting, we will apply the same force and more … and we will fight across the whole of the (Gaza) Strip,” Gallant said on Monday while he was addressing a group of soldiers. “Remember that while you are organizing and resting and researching, the enemy is also doing the same. You will meet something that is a little more ready,” the defense minister told the soldiers. “Therefore, they will first meet the bombs of the Air Force, and after that the shells of the tanks and the artillery and the paws of the D9 (bulldozers), and finally the shooting of the infantry fighters, we will fight in the entire strip," he added. Meanwhile, the truce between Israel and Hamas was extended into a fifth day on Tuesday as the two sides completed the release of Israeli hostages and detained Palestinians and looked poised to free more as the pause in fighting was extended by two days. Israel said that 11 hostages returned to the country on Monday taking the total tally of Israeli and foreign hostages freed by the terror group since Friday to 69.

The White House and Qatari negotiators said on Monday the original four-day pause in fighting, due to expire at 0500 GMT on Tuesday, had been extended for two more days.

Israel has not commented on any agreement to extend the truce but, in what may be an implicit confirmation, the Israeli prime minister’s office said the government approved the addition of 50 female prisoners to its list of Palestinians for potential release if additional Israeli hostages are freed.

With inputs from Reuters