Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signaled a sharp escalation in military action in the Gaza Strip, vowing that decisive operations are imminent.
Benjamin Netanyahu © PMO
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signaled a sharp escalation in military action in the Gaza Strip, vowing that decisive operations are imminent.
Speaking to wounded soldiers at the War Wounded Forum and later in a meeting with IDF reservists, Netanyahu declared that the coming days would bring a level of military engagement not yet seen in the current conflict.
“Within days, things are going to happen in Gaza — things you’ve never seen before,” he said. “We will enter with all our might to subdue Hamas, to destroy Hamas. We will go all the way.”
His remarks follow the safe return of Edan Alexander, an Israeli-American hostage, for whom IDF operations had been briefly paused. Israeli officials confirmed that combat activities would resume immediately after his return, and that the military is prepared for a wider campaign.
Netanyahu acknowledged that Hamas might still attempt to negotiate. “It is possible that Hamas will want to release ten more hostages… we will take them, and then we will go in,” he said, implying that military plans would not be indefinitely postponed for negotiations.
In outlining the broader strategy, Netanyahu emphasized that Hamas’s presence in Gaza would be eradicated. “Hamas will not be there,” he stated. “The plan includes seizing territory, moving the population southward for their safety, and launching powerful strikes aimed at Hamas’s destruction.”
He also addressed the humanitarian dimension of the conflict, particularly the movement of civilians. “Regarding the migration of Gaza residents — there is a problem. We need countries that will absorb them,” Netanyahu said, suggesting that if given the opportunity, up to half the population of Gaza might choose to leave.
Israeli sources have reiterated that an earlier ultimatum remains in effect: either Hamas agrees to release 10 hostages in exchange for a 45-day ceasefire, or Israel will escalate the offensive significantly.
The renewed military effort, if executed with precision and resolve, could serve as a defining blow to Hamas — a long-sought strategic objective.
However, caution is essential at this critical moment. Former U.S. President Donald Trump landed in Riyadh today, beginning a high-profile visit to the region. His presence may reshape diplomatic dynamics, and any large-scale military move will now unfold under heightened international scrutiny.
The European Union's diplomatic service on Thursday presented 10 options for political action against Israel after it found "indications" last month that Israel breached human rights obligations under a pact governing its ties with the bloc.
The handover of weapons by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Iraq, following its decision to disband, should be completed within a few months, a spokeperson for Turkey's ruling AK Party said late on Wednesday.
The United States said on Wednesday it was imposing sanctions on Francesca Albanese, the United Nations' special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, who has been very critical of U.S. ally Israel's war in Gaza.
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