Jerusalem/UNI: Israel has entered the third stage of its war against Palestinian Hamas movement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday.

"We are in the midst of the war. We have set the clear goal of destroying Hamas's military and governing capabilities. We are doing this systematically. The first blocking stage is over. The 2nd stage, pounding them from the air, is continuing all the time.

"The third stage – the IDF has expanded its ground incursion inside the Gaza Strip. It is doing so in measured, very powerful, steps making methodical, step-by-step progress," Netanyahu was quoted as saying by his office.

On October 7, Palestinian group Hamas launched a surprise large-scale rocket attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip and breached the border, killing and abducting people in neighboring Israeli communities.

Israel launched retaliatory strikes and ordered a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip, home to more than 2 million people, cutting off supplies of water, food, and fuel.

The blockade was later eased to allow trucks with humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. The escalation of the conflict has resulted in thousands of people killed and injured.