Israeli military says control over northern Gaza is only first stage

Achieving control over the northern half of the Gaza Strip will mark only the first stage in the Israeli campaign to destroy Hamas, the chief military spokesman said on Thursday, a day before a four-day pause in fighting was due to start.

"Control over northern Gaza is the first step of a long war," Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told a regular news briefing. "We are preparing for the next stages, we are looking forward in the coming days we will focus on planning and fulfilling the next stages of the war."