Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly decided to move ahead with a full military occupation of the Gaza Strip, expanding operations across the entire enclave, including areas where captives are still believed to be held by Hamas.
According to multiple Israeli media outlets including i24NEWS, The Jerusalem Post, Channel 12, and Ynet, the decision is expected to be officially approved by Netanyahu’s war cabinet, which is scheduled to convene on Tuesday.
“The decision has been made,” Channel 12's Chief Political Analyst Amit Sega quoted a senior official in Netanyahu’s office as saying. “Hamas won’t release more hostages without total surrender, and we won’t surrender. If we don’t act now, the hostages will starve to death and Gaza will remain under Hamas’s control.”
The announcement has triggered alarm within the international community. The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the reported plan and urged urgent global intervention. In a statement, the ministry warned the move could either be a test to gauge international response or a serious policy shift.
Mounting pressure at home and abroad
The reports come amid intensifying domestic and international pressure on Netanyahu. With the war nearing its two-year mark, criticism continues to mount over Israel’s conduct in Gaza, particularly as humanitarian conditions continue to deteriorate.
On Monday, at least 74 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes, including 36 individuals waiting for food aid, according to medical officials in Gaza. The worsening humanitarian crisis, combined with the recent release of disturbing footage showing visibly emaciated Israeli captives Rom Braslavski and Evyatar David, has fueled demands within Israel for urgent action.
Netanyahu, however, reaffirmed his commitment to continuing the military campaign.
“We must continue to stand together and fight together to achieve all our war objectives: the defeat of the enemy, the release of our hostages, and the assurance that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel,” he said during a cabinet meeting on Monday.
Hamas response
Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan accused Netanyahu’s government and its allies—particularly the United States—of ignoring what he described as Israeli "atrocities" in Gaza. He held the Israeli leadership "fully responsible" for the captives' welfare, citing its refusal to engage in a ceasefire deal and escalating military actions.
“The Israeli government bears full responsibility for the lives of the captives due to its stubbornness, arrogance, and evasion of reaching a ceasefire agreement,” said Hamdan.
Human toll
According to Gaza’s health authorities, more than 60,930 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict since it began in October 2023. This includes at least 18,430 children. Israeli authorities say 49 captives are still being held by Hamas, 27 of whom are believed to be dead.
Despite growing calls for de-escalation, Netanyahu’s latest move signals a hardening stance, suggesting a prolonged and possibly more deadly phase in the ongoing war.
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