Jerusalem: Military operations by the Israeli army in the southern Gaza Strip's largest city of Khan Yunis might end in three to four weeks, Axios reported, citing a senior Israeli defense official.

The operation in Khan Yunis has just started, an official told Axios on Friday, adding that the Israeli military believed that the leadership of Palestinian movement Hamas was located there.

According to the the source, the high-intensity phase of the conflict between Israel and Hamas will last for three to four weeks.

According to the report, the United States has not give Israel a clear deadline for the end of the operation, but points out that time is limited and it is necessary to end the fighting as quickly as possible and with fewer civilian casualties.

Washington prefers Israel finished the high intensity phase of the operation in the Gaza Strip by the end of December, and Israel aims at the end of January 2024, the report added.

On Tuesday, Head of the Israeli General Staff Herzi Halevi said that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had moved to the third phase of the ground operation in the Gaza Strip and was surrounding Khan Yunis.

On October 7, Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip and breached the border.

Israel launched retaliatory strikes and ordered a complete blockade of Gaza, cutting off supplies of water, food, and fuel.

On October 27, Israel launched a ground incursion into the Gaza Strip with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages.

On November 24, Qatar mediated a deal between Israel and Hamas on a temporary truce and the exchange of some of the prisoners and hostages, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.

The truce was extended several times and expired last Friday.

(With UNI/SPUTNIK inputs)