JERUSALEM 

An Israeli army officer has vowed to turn the entire Gaza Strip into rubble similar to the situation in the northern city of Beit Hanoun. 

“Israel suffered a painful blow on Oct. 7. They attacked the dignity of our people,” Yair Ben David, a commander in the 2908th Battalion, told his soldiers in a video shared on social media platforms.

“The 2908th Battalion entered Beit Hanoun and did there as Shimon and Levi did in Nablus,” he said, in reference to a biblical story about the killing of entire male inhabitants of the city for an act of immorality.

On Monday, the Israeli army said its 252nd Reserve Division has completed its operations in Beit Hanoun, indicating the military has firm control of the area.

“The mission is not over yet; we still have more,” Ben David said.

“The entire Gaza should resemble Beit Hanoun,” he said. “Gaza must look like Beit Hanoun today.”

The army officer said that the Israeli army must show deterrence to its neighbors.

“Do you know why? Because there must be fear among all the nations around us, in the cities of Lebanon, in the cities of Judea and Samaria (the West Bank), and among all those sitting around us who think it's possible to harm the dignity of the people of Israel.”

“We've completed the first part, but this is only the beginning. We will return, with God's help,” the Israeli officer said.

“Nablus in its entirety and any town daring to stand against Israel will look like Beit Hanoun, and we are ready for any mission,” he added.

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, killing at least 19,667 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injuring 52,586 others, according to health authorities in the enclave.

The Israeli onslaught has left Gaza in ruins with half of the coastal territory's housing stock damaged or destroyed, and nearly 2 million people displaced within the densely-populated enclave amid shortages of food and clean water.

Nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack, while more than 130 hostages remain in captivity.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio