Tel Aviv , May 11 (IANS): Israel war cabinet, which met late on Friday, has ordered the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to secure Hamas military chief Yahya Sinwar and his deputy, Mohammed Deif and to accelerate the invasion in Rafah region.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant have, according to sources in Israel's Defence Ministry, forcefully pushed for securing the two Hamas leaders considered to be the brain behind the October 7 attack on southern Israel, slaughtering 1,200 people.

Sources in Israel's Defence Ministry told IANS that Israeli intelligence agencies have given inputs that Sinwar and Deif are in separate tunnel networks between Khan Younis and Rafah area, at a distance of five kilometres.

The Israeli military intelligence has also reported that both the Hamas military leaders are surrounded by Israeli hostages, and that an attack will be carried out using specific intelligence on the exact locations of Sinwar and Deif.

Israel Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, considered a hawk in the Israeli government, had publicly called for the assassination of Sinwar to bring Gaza under total control of IDF.