Israel’s security office approved plans for an expanded operation in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli media said on Friday (2), increasing the signs that attempts to stop fighting and return the hosts held by Hamas did not progress.
The decision was made after comments from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the country’s head of the military, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, indicating that Israel intended to intensify the campaign in Gaza.
Since the collapse of a previous ceasefire agreement in March, Israeli troops have been opening wide cushioning zones in Gaza, squeezing the population of 2.3 million people in an increasingly narrow area in the center of the Enclave and along the coast, and preventing aid trucks from entering.
“As long as Hamas does not release our hostages, we will significantly deepen our military action,” said an unidentified Israeli authority according to Ynet, one of Israel’s main news vehicles.
A spokesman for Netanyahu’s office refused to comment on the reports, which said the decision would be approved by the full office on Sunday.
On Thursday, Netanyahu said that although Israel was seeking the return of their hostages, which is believed to be up to 24 to be alive, their ultimate goal in Gaza continued to defeat Hamas.
“In war, there is the ultimate goal – and this ultimate goal is the victory over our enemies,” he said.
Despite the efforts of the Egyptian mediators and the Qatar to restore the ceasefire, neither Israel nor Hamas have shown the willingness to retreat in their main demands, with each side blaming the other for the failure to reach an agreement.
Israel, who wants the return of 59 hostages still kept in Gaza, insists that Hamas must disarm and be excluded from any role in the future Enclave government, a condition that Hamas rejects.
The group, which governs Gaza since 2007, has insisted at the lasting end of combat and the withdrawal of Israeli forces as a condition for an agreement that allows the release of hostages.
Earlier, Netanyahu’s office issued a statement by denying that he rejected a ceasefire proposal presented by Egyptian mediators and saying that Hamas was preventing an agreement to stop the fighting.
The Israeli commanders said the military was ready to intensify their short -term Gaza operations.
“We will use all the power at our disposal, we will increase the pace and intensity of the operation and, if necessary, we will do it soon,” Zamir said at an Independence Day ceremony on Thursday.
On Friday, Israeli attacks continued to reach different areas of Gaza, killing at least 25 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health authorities.
Israel’s campaign was triggered by a devastating Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 people in southern Israel and took 251 hostages. To date, the Israeli attack has killed more than 50,000 Palestinians and has devastated Gaza, where aid groups warned that Israeli block can cause a humanitarian disaster.
This content was originally published in Israeli Office supports plans to expand Gaza operation on CNN Brazil.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
