Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that Israel must "complete" the defeat of Hamas in Gaza to secure the release of hostages, ahead of a cabinet meeting to discuss an updated war plan.
"It is necessary to complete the defeat of the enemy in Gaza, to free all our hostages and to ensure that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel," Netanyahu said during a visit to an army training facility.
Israeli media said the premier was considering ordering the total occupation of the Palestinian territory, with public broadcaster Kan reporting that "Netanyahu wants the Israeli army to conquer the entire Gaza Strip."
Netanyahu's office said he held a three-hour "security discussion" on Tuesday with army chief Eyal Zamir but did not disclose any new war plans.
The premier's office earlier said the army was prepared to implement any decision made by the security cabinet, which is due to convene later in the week to approve new instructions.
Citing cabinet members, Kan reported that Netanyahu had "decided to extend the fight to areas where hostages might be held" inside Gaza.
But some major media outlets, such as Channel 12 have suggested that the rumored expansion of military operations may only be a negotiating tactic.
While there was no official confirmation for a plan to occupy Gaza, from which Israel withdrew troops and settlers two decades ago, it has drawn angry reactions from the Palestinian Authority and Gaza's Hamas-run government.
Hamas insisted such an Israeli plan would not shift its position in ceasefire talks, demanding the withdrawal of troops from Gaza.
"The ball is in the hands of... (Israel) and the Americans," senior Hamas official Hossam Badran told AFP, adding that the militant group wanted to "end the war and the famine."
'Agreement Must Be Reached'
Over the war's 22 months, Israeli forces have devastated large parts of the Gaza Strip, where repeated warnings of famine have increased pressure on Netanyahu's government to halt the fighting.
The war was sparked by Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack, which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to a tally based on official figures.
Palestinian militants also seized 251 hostages, 49 of whom remain held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead.
The Israeli offensive has killed at least 61,020 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry.
Humanitarian agencies say the territory's 2.4 million people are slipping into a catastrophic famine.
Netanyahu has faced growing pressure on several fronts.
Domestically, families of hostages are demanding a ceasefire to bring their loved ones home.
Around the world, there are increasing calls for a truce to allow food in to the starving in Gaza.
The International Committee of the Red Cross on Tuesday said it was "prepared and ready to bring in medicine, food and family news for the hostages in Gaza" and to "scale up the delivery of life-saving aid safely to civilians."
But "to do this, an agreement must be reached between Israel and Hamas," it said.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu's far-right coalition partners demand to keep fighting and reoccupy Gaza.
In New York, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar was due to attend a UN Security Council meeting on the plight of the hostages, after recent footage of weak and emaciated captives has spurred shock in Israel.
Aid 'Exploited'
Israel imposed a total blockade on Gaza in early March, which it began easing more than two months later to allow a US-backed private agency, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), to open food distribution centers.
United Nations special rapporteurs called Tuesday for the GHF to be immediately dismantled, saying aid was being "exploited for covert military and geopolitical agendas."
Aid convoys and airdrops by Arab and European militaries resumed last month, as UN-mandated expert reports warned famine was unfolding in the war-torn territory.
The Israeli defense ministry's COGAT, a body overseeing civil affairs in the Palestinian territories, said it would partially reopen private sector trade with Gaza to reduce its reliance on aid deliveries.
"A limited number of local merchants were approved by the defense establishment, subject to several criteria and strict security screening," COGAT said.
The merchants would be allow to bring in food staples, fruit, vegetables, baby formula and hygiene products, it said.
COGAT added that payments would be inspected "to prevent the involvement of the Hamas terrorist organization."
On Monday, Netanyahu insisted Israel's war goals remained "the defeat of the enemy, the release of our hostages and the promise that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel."
His statement came after retired Israeli security chiefs wrote to US President Donald Trump to urge him to convince Netanyahu to end the war.
Families of the hostages are also horrified by talk of escalation, accusing the government of putting their relatives in danger.
AFP
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