IDF Southern Command Chief Maj.-Gen. Yaron Finkleman on Wednesday said in a meeting in southern Gaza with his field commanders that the IDF is continuing to press forward with its invasion of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza.
On Tuesday, the IDF revealed that its invasion of southern Gaza and Khan Yunis had started Sunday night.
According to the IDF, the top field commanders handling the Khan Yunis invasion, including Division 98, the Duvdevan special forces, and various related commando and Givati units, presented Finkleman the status of IDF and enemy forces within the city, the attacks already undertaken, and their future attack plans.
Netanyahu: Israeli forces are surrounding Sinwar's home
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israeli forces were surrounding the home of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar on Wednesday, just a few hours after reports by Arabic media claimed the same.
"Yesterday I said that our forces can reach anywhere in the Gaza Strip. Now they are surrounding Sinwar's house. So his house is not his fortress, and he can escape, but it's only a matter of time before we get him," said Netanyahu.
The prime minister additionally called on the Red Cross to visit Israeli hostages being held by Hamas, saying he had spoken with the president of the Red Cross and asked her to speak to Qatar and have them pressure Hamas to let the Red Cross in.
To date, the IDF has already broken the main defense lines of Hamas's brigade-level forces in Khan Yunis, and having successfully penetrated the center of the city, is now making pincer moves outwards to different parts of the city to eliminate Hamas forces and take control of territory.
Simultaneously, other IDF forces from Division 98 have surrounded the whole city from the outside.
Some of Hamas's top command posts have been overrun and already 30 tunnel shafts have been destroyed, though Hamas still has a vast additional tunnel network that has not yet been cleaned out.
Already, IDF forces have also destroyed terror items hidden in a mosque in Khan Yunis, as often has occurred in the last month in northern Gaza.
The IDF noted that Khan Yunis is the home of Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar, Muhammad Sinwar and Muhammad Deif.
"The battle for Khan Yunis is a central priority. I am impressed that it is being carried out well: that we have a handle on all the details and that we are pressing forward," said Finkleman.
Finkleman stated, "There are centerpieces of the mission and we will go forward with this. Continue to take this forward. We will send to here anything that is needed [in terms of reinforcements and joint air attacks] and push forward at all times."
The fight for Khan Yunis is considered the most crucial remaining battle over the Gaza Strip given that the IDF has already controlled most of Gaza City in northern Gaza for the last few weeks, and that Hamas's high command and many of the hostages are believed to be there.
The takeover of Khan Yunis
A massive force of multiple brigades, including from Division 162, was thrown into the onslaught to take over Hamas's most crucial city in southern Gaza on Monday night.
The air force accompanied the ground forces thrust into Khan Yunis with significant attacks to eliminate Hamas command and control capabilities.
Civilians from Khan Yunis had been directed to evacuate further south to Rafah as well as to a safe area toward the west of Khan Yunis.
At the same time as the attacks on Khan Yunis, the IDF sent a large and hard-hitting force, including Divisions 162 and 36, into Shejaia, known as Hamas's greatest remaining stronghold in northern Gaza.