Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s team is reportedly aiming to defeat Hamas by taking control over large territories of the Palestinian enclave
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his national-security team are allegedly planning a major new ground offensive dedicated to capturing large swaths of territory in Gaza, the Wall Street Journal has reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
The alleged plans come amid renewed Israeli airstrikes on the Palestinian enclave after a temporary truce between Hamas and the Jewish state expired on March 1. Mediated by the US, Qatar, and Egypt, the ceasefire had led to a partial Israeli withdrawal and limited hostage releases. However, since its collapse, both sides have blamed each other for failing to reach a renewed agreement.
The WSJ reported on Sunday that Israeli forces have already moved into northern Gaza, areas near Rafah, and the central Netzarim corridor, marking the start of a campaign to recapture and hold territory previously vacated under a ceasefire arrangement.
According to the outlet, Netanyahu’s new advisers have been advocating for a strategy that relies on beating Hamas on the battlefield by force of arms before pursuing any political solution to the Gaza conflict.
Last week, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that his country would continue to seize territory in Gaza for as long as Hamas holds hostages. Meanwhile, Israeli officials have also advocated for fully destroying Hamas’s remaining infrastructure such as tunnels and weapons caches, even if it takes years and leads to more civilian casualties, the WSJ wrote.
Israel’s new approach is reportedly being fueled by US President Donald Trump’s order to ramp up ammunition deliveries to the Jewish State and his administration’s calls for Netanyahu to “take the gloves off” against Hamas.
While announcing last week the renewal of ground operations in Gaza, Netanyahu’s office declared that “Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength.”
It also specified that the new offensive is a response to the Palestinian group’s “refusal to release hostages” and its rejection of proposals on extending the truce.
Hamas, in turn, has accused Israel of “unilaterally” ending the ceasefire, according to Reuters.
Palestinian authorities claimed on Sunday that over 50,000 people have been killed in Gaza since fighting began some 18 months ago.
The war between Hamas and Israel broke out following the Palestinian group’s surprise cross-border attack on October 7, 2023 that killed around 1,200 people and led to the capture of roughly 250 hostages.
