12 children killed as focus shifts to south

ISRAEL yesterday claimed that it had dismantled Hamas's military infrastructure in northern Gaza and said it would now focus on central and southern areas of the Strip.

- Allister Hagger

The announcement came exactly three months after the Hamas attack that triggered the war and as a dozen children were among those killed in an attack in the south.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is due to visit Israel, is expected to urge it to wind down its devastating air and ground offensive and shift to more targeted attacks against Hamas leaders.

Eliminated

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday again insisted the war would not end until Hamas was eliminated and Gaza was no longer a threat to his country.

He said he also wanted to free the 123 hostages Israel claims are still being held by Hamas.

He told his Cabinet: "I say this to both our enemies and our friends.