Israel prepared for ‘long war’ and aims to kill top three Hamas leaders, claim FT sources

Israel is preparing for a “long war” that could go on until next year with the aim of killing the Hamas leadership and destroying the group's tunnel network and multiple battalions. 

Sources told the Financial Times that Israel’s goals include killing the three top Hamas leaders - Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and Marwan Issa - while securing “a decisive” military victory against the group’s 24 battalions and underground tunnel network and destroying its "governing capability in Gaza".

One person familiar with the Israeli plan said: “This will be a very long war . . . We’re currently not near halfway to achieving our objectives."

Another person familiar with Israel’s war plans said the military still considers operations in northern Gaza to be incomplete. “Gaza City isn’t finished yet, nor fully conquered. It’s probably 40 percent done,” the person told the FT.

“For the north as a whole, it will probably require another two weeks to a month.”