JERUSALEM: The Israeli prime minister and army chief insisted Tuesday that the war on Hamas would be a "long campaign", rejecting reports that generals could wind down the operation in Gaza before achieving all of its aims.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country would not give in to the "winds of defeatism", while army chief Herzi Halevi said the destruction of Hamas infrastructure would take more time.

"This is a long campaign, with determination and perseverance we are accomplishing our missions and wearing down the other side," Halevi told troops after touring Israel's operations in southern Gaza.

Halevi said that "over 900 fighters" have been killed in fighting across the Rafah region of southern Gaza.

The comments come after The New York Times quoted Israeli security officials as saying top generals see a truce as the best way to secure the release of remaining hostages, even if that means not achieving all of the war goals.

"I am here to make it unequivocally clear: This will not happen," Netanyahu said.

After the October 7 Hamas attacks, Netanyahu's right-wing government vowed to destroy the Palestinian group's military and governing capabilities and return all hostages seized during the deadly incursion.

Of the 251 hostages seized during Hamas's incursion, 116 remain in Gaza, including 42 the army says are dead

Netanyahu faces immense domestic pressure to return the hostages, while international allies, including the United States, have pressed for a ceasefire in Gaza because of the high civilian toll.

"The war will end once Israel achieves all of its objectives, including the destruction of Hamas and the release of all of our hostages," Netanyahu said.

The prime minister said the army had "all the means to achieve" the targets in Gaza.

"We will not capitulate to the winds of defeatism, neither in The New York Times nor anywhere else. We are inspired by the spirit of victory," he said.

A recent Netanyahu comment that "the war in its intense phase is about to end in Rafah" heightened speculation about a change in tactics. But the Israeli leader has reaffirmed his government's determination to achieve its war goals.

After visiting troops on Monday, he said: "I saw very considerable achievements in the fighting being carried in Rafah. We are advancing to the end of the stage of eliminating the Hamas army."

The Israeli army has resumed some operations in northern Gaza and other zones where it previously said fighter forces had been controlled.

The military has also issued a new civilian evacuation order for areas around Khan Yunis and Rafah in the south.

Hamas's October 7 attack that triggered the war resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.

Israel's retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed at least 37,925 people, also mostly civilians, according to data from the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.

 -AFP