Title: Israeli Defense Minister: We Need Several Months to Defeat Hamas in Gaza

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant informed White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Thursday that it will take several months to defeat Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Galant added that Hamas has built its "infrastructure both underground and above ground" for over a decade. He continued that destroying the group "will require a long period of time that will last more than several months, but we will prevail and destroy them." According to a statement from Galant's office, the two officials also discussed the necessity of returning Israelis to their homes near the border with Lebanon after tens of thousands of people were displaced due to fighting with the Iran-backed Hezbollah group.