Tel Aviv: Israel's Minister of Defence Yoav Gallant and former Minister of defence and now minister without portfolio in the special War Cabinet Benny Gantz both met Thursday evening with the visiting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Gantz said he "conveyed first and foremost to the Secretary my profound appreciation for both his personal and President Biden's unwavering support for the State of Israel."

Gantz also thanked Blinken for "American leadership in the efforts to release the hostages" and emphasized that "for the sake of Israel's security and regional stability - we must complete the mission of dismantling terrorist Hamas."

Minister of Defense Gallant to Secretary Blinken, "We are going to fight Hamas until we prevail - no matter how long it takes. This is a just war against Hamas - the ISIS of Gaza, and it's a war to bring the hostages back home - as long as it takes."

Gallant also declared that Israel will dismantle all of Hamas' governing capabilities and free all of the hostages.