The Israeli military’s primary goal in the war on Gaza is securing the return of the remaining captives, not the total destruction of Hamas, as claimed by Prime Minister Netanyahu this week, an unnamed Israeli military source has told The Times of Israel, Al Jazeera reports.

“The supreme mission that the [Israeli military] is dealing with is our moral duty to return the hostages. The second mission is defeating Hamas. We are working to advance both goals, with the return of the hostages being at the top [of the list of priorities],” the source said.

Speaking at the annual Independence Day Bible Contest in Jerusalem on Thursday, Netanyahu said “victory” over Hamas, not the return of the 59 remaining captives, was the “supreme goal” of Israel’s onslaught.