Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says negotiations will soon begin for the release of all remaining hostages in Gaza, alongside plans for an expanded military offensive on Gaza City.
Speaking to troops on Thursday night, Netanyahu confirmed that his cabinet had approved a large-scale assault in the northern part of the enclave, despite mounting opposition at home and abroad.
He stressed that the government would only accept a deal that secures the release of all hostages at once and under terms “acceptable to Israel,” while tying the goal to the broader campaign against Hamas.
The remarks came days after Hamas accepted a Qatari- and Egyptian-mediated proposal for a 60-day ceasefire that included the release of about half of the hostages. Netanyahu, however, dismissed the offer, with Israeli officials insisting on conditions that include the complete disarmament of Hamas, demilitarisation of Gaza, Israeli control of its borders, and the installation of a new governing authority.
On Thursday, Palestinians reported heavy bombardment in eastern Gaza City, as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) warned that one million residents would be ordered to evacuate before a ground assault begins. Aid groups and the UN said they would remain in Gaza to assist those unable or unwilling to leave.
Hamas has accused Netanyahu of blocking an agreement, while Israel maintains that only 20 of the 50 hostages are believed to be alive nearly two years after the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack that killed 1,200 people in southern Israel.
Since then, Israel’s campaign in Gaza has killed more than 62,000 people, according to the territory’s health ministry, whose figures are widely cited by the UN and humanitarian organisations.
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