Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel "will fight until the end", vowing to "restore the security in both the north and the south", during his remarks at the beginning of his weekly cabinet meeting.
Since Israel's ground assault began, the military has lost 153 soldiers in the Palestinian territory, including 10 on December 23, making it one of the deadliest days for the army.
Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response to a Hamas attack on October 7 which killed around 1, 140 people, mostly civilians.
Israel's retaliation has killed more than 20,200 people, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.
