Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Monday that his country was “on the eve of a powerful entry in Gaza” after his security cabinet approved new plans for thousands of other soldiers to capture and detain the territory in an enclave of open spaces and relocate the Palestinians to the south.
Mr Netanyahu said that when military reserves across Israel began to receive notifications of the call, he said in a video posted on social media that the country's top military official recommended what he called “intensive” escalation to 18 months of war.
“It's time to launch a concluding move,” Netanyahu said, telling him, adding that the new movement will help bring hostages who are still in Gaza home. The Prime Minister said he thought “we are not done yet. We are before the finish line.”
The upgrade comes after more than two months later, when Israel continued to blockade and bomb the Gaza Strip as the ceasefire released the remaining hostage ground to almost stagnation. Israel bans any humanitarian aid to Gaza to force Hamas to surrender, leading aid groups condemning the deprivation of Palestinians there.
Opponents of Mr. Netanyahu quickly criticized the expanded military movement, saying it would endanger the lives of the remaining hostages and would not fundamentally change the driving force of the 18-month war. The Prime Minister's critics (both at home and abroad) urged him to end the conflict, which was a conflict that killed about 1,200 people in Israel on October 7, 2023 and took about 250 hostages.
Israeli officials said the offense would slowly begin as they expect ceasefire negotiations to take place ahead of several Arab capital meetings that President Trump travels to the region next week. But officials say that if a deal is not concluded soon, the expanded ground operations will begin to take place seriously.
Mr. Netanyahu swore in the video that the decision to fight in Gaza does not mean that Israel has given up hope of saving the rest of the hostages.
He swore: “We will not give up on anyone.”
Government spokesman David Mencer described the plan as an effort to increase pressure on Hamas to release hostages and destroy all Hamas infrastructure to destroy all infrastructure on and below the ground. He said the campaign required Israeli soldiers to “occupy the territory” indefinitely to prevent Hamas from withdrawing. ”
Mr Mensel said that this intention was not a permanent occupation of Gaza, and that the situation in Gaza would almost certainly inspire international opposition, forcing the relocation of Palestinians from their homes in the north.
Israeli military spokesman Effie DeFrin said in a televised statement that Israel's operations will include “a widespread attack involving the majority of Gaza's population. This is to clear the protected areas in the Hamas region.”
At the White House, National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes did not comment directly on the Israeli announcement, but said Mr. Trump was “still committed to ensuring the immediate release of hostages and ending Hamas’ rule in Gaza.” He added: “Hamas has sole responsibility for this conflict and the resumption of hostilities.”
However, it is not clear that the announcement was primarily designed publicly by Mr. Netanyahu after his bankruptcy in March. The call of Israeli soldiers was seen as a message to Mr. Netanyahu's tenacious supporters, some of whom were frustrated that the military had not completed its mission to eliminate Hamas. The promise of a more intense phase in the war may have been good domestic politics for him.
It is also obvious that the additional fighter fundamentally changed the dynamics seen in the 18-month war, with thousands of soldiers slamming Hamas fighters, and Gaza residents caught Gaza’s residents in the middle but failed to achieve Israel’s goal of destroying militant groups or freeing all the people who were sting.
Meng Ke said that as part of the Israeli offensive, Israel will “move Gaza's population southward for its own defense.” The plan echoes Israel's actions in the early stages of the war, when Israel ordered a large-scale evacuation of Northern Gaza before a ground invasion in the second half of 2023.
An Israeli official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, discussed the operational plan, saying the Israeli military would take action to occupy more territory beyond the territory, but officials warned that it is not clear whether Israel has plans to occupy the entire Gaza at this point.
He said the cabinet also approved a new Israeli-supported mechanism to allow the distribution of humanitarian assistance. The doctors said Israel was criticized for its decision more than two months ago to block all humanitarian aid, including food, medicine and fuel, and its impact was “disastrous”. Israel argues that the aid blockade is legal and that Gaza still has enough provisions available.
Two reserve personnel, who asked not to be named, commented to the news media for not being authorized to comment, saying they had received call orders since June.
Israel's energy minister and security cabinet member Eli Cohen said the reserves were called to implement a plan to ensure that Hamas could no longer launch an attack on Israel.
“The destruction of the terrorist organization Hamas is not only the interests of Israel, but also the interests of the entire free world,” he said.
The question is whether this battle is a roadmap for the end of hostilities or simply a reinforcement of the deadly conflict caused by the Palestinians and the Israeli hostages that Hamas still holds.
Tamir Hayman, who served as head of Israel’s military intelligence for four years, said that the attempt to put pressure on Hamas with overwhelming force was “exhausted” during a year and a half of war.
“It is very difficult to eliminate Hamas as a terrorist organization by military force alone,” said Heyman, executive director of Tel Aviv’s think tank. He said Israel would be best to end the war with Hamas, which was greatly weakened and can be checked after the battle was over.
The Israeli military has not provided detailed information on how to deploy reserve personnel. However, two Israeli officials who requested anonymous comment on the military plan said it would involve several brigades seeking so-called operational advantages in several areas of Gaza.
The Trump administration seeks a new ceasefire, but Hamas calls for an end to the war and evacuation of Israeli forces from Gaza, while Israel insists that Hamas disarms and the group refuses to do so.
Israeli officials said they believe the strength and intensity of the Gaza military movement in Gaza last year forced Hamas to release some hostages and accept a ceasefire in January.
Hours after the October 2023 attack, Mr. Netanyahu ordered the mobilization of 360,000 reserve personnel, adding to the standing army of about 170,000 soldiers in the country.
According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, more than 50,000 Palestinians died in the fight, and the ministry did not distinguish between civilian and military deaths. About 130 hostages have been released and the Israeli military has retrieved the bodies of at least 40 people. According to the Israeli government, about 24 hostages are still alive.
Awad Abid, 38, a resident of Jabaliya in northern Gaza, said the Israeli announcement has brought Palestinian residents in the enclave further despair among Palestinian residents. He said the months-long humanitarian lockdown caused “hunger into every home.”
“No one in Gaza has ever lived anymore,” Abid said, adding that the Israeli hostages should be released immediately to end the conflict.
When Israel and Hamas agreed to a January ceasefire agreement, Netanyahu said the credit should be attributed to “the painful blow of our heroic fighters landing on Hamas.”
“This is exactly the conditions for how to create a turning point in its position and for the release of hostages,” he said in his national speech.
But other voices, such as Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid, have expressed serious doubts about the strategy. “I'm worried that the intensity of the battle will determine the fate of the hostages,” Rapid said on the Israel Army Radio. “What are the goals? Why do they call up reserves? Extend regular services without defining the goals – this is not how you win the war.”
In a statement Monday, organizations representing people's families urged the government not to expand the war.
“The expansion of military operations puts every hostage at a serious risk,” the families said. “We beg our decision makers: prioritize hostages. Securing the deal. Taking them home – it's too late.”
Natan Odenheimer,,,,, Johnatan Reiss and Gabby Sobelman Contribution report.
