Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has urged the people of Gaza to locate and kill Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, stating that it would shorten the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Gallant made the remarks during a press conference, where he also stated that the ground invasion of Gaza was progressing well and that 12 Hamas battalion commanders had been killed. Sinwar, who was elected as the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip in 2017, is seen as a hardliner who rejects reconciliation with Israel. He was previously imprisoned for over two decades for the murder of two Israeli soldiers and Palestinians he viewed as collaborators.

Israel has launched a campaign of airstrikes and ground invasion in Gaza in response to Hamas' terrorist attack in southern Israel on October 7. The conflict has taken a huge toll on Gaza's population, with thousands killed, including many children, and the destruction of infrastructure. Israel has vowed to eliminate Hamas entirely and ensure no security threat remains from Gaza. The UN and world powers have not reached a consensus on how to handle the ongoing conflict.