Israel is “strengthening our effort against Rafah” following a new round of consultations with U.S. officials intended to bridge a rift over the military operation that opened in recent months.

“This operation will go on and increase, more forces on the ground, more forces from the air, and we will reach our goals: to deal a very hard blow to Hamas, to deprive it of its military capabilities, [and] to create the conditions to return the hostages to their homes,” Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Thursday.