DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated on Saturday that Israel has "no choice" but to continue its military campaign in Gaza. He emphasized that the war will not conclude until Hamas has been dismantled, hostages are freed, and the territory no longer poses a threat to Israel. Netanyahu's statements come amidst increasing domestic pressure from family members of hostages, reservists, and retired soldiers questioning the ongoing conflict and its aftermath after Israel's recent actions that shattered a ceasefire.
Netanyahu noted that Hamas has rejected Israel's latest proposal for a ceasefire that would have facilitated the release of half of the hostages. This assertion followed reports from Gaza's Health Ministry indicating that over 90 people had been killed in Israeli strikes within a 48-hour period. The Israeli military is intensifying its attacks in hopes of pressuring Hamas to release hostages and disarm.
The strikes have resulted in civilian casualties, including children and women. According to hospital staff, 15 people were killed overnight, with the bulk of the casualties occurring in Khan Younis. Reports indicate that several fatalities happened in a tent in the Muwasi area, which has been marked as a humanitarian zone. Eyewitness accounts detailed the grief of mourners, with families sorrowfully caressing the faces of deceased loved ones as they prepared for burial.
Four additional casualties were reported in Rafah city, including both a mother and her daughter. An airstrike later targeted a group of civilians west of Nuseirat, resulting in another death. The Israeli military claimed to have killed over 40 militants during the weekend operations, while acknowledging the death of an Israeli soldier in northern Gaza. This marked the first casualty among Israeli forces since the conflict resumed on March 18.
Amid these military advancements, Israel has vowed to intensify its offensives across Gaza, establishing indefinite security zones within the densely populated territory. Meanwhile, Hamas is pressing for Israeli forces to withdraw from the region. The blockade on Gaza, which has been in effect for the past six weeks, continues to prohibit the entry of essential food and goods, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation.
Aid organizations have raised alarms about the deteriorating conditions, reporting that thousands of children now face malnutrition. The United Nations indicates that many people in Gaza are surviving on less than one meal per day as resources dwindle. Dr. Hanan Balkhy, the head of the World Health Organization's eastern Mediterranean office, urged the newly appointed U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, to advocate for lifting the blockade on Gaza to allow essential medicine and aid to flow into the territory.
The conflict erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants launched attacks on southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the abduction of 251 individuals. Although many hostages have been released through ceasefire agreements or negotiations, Hamas still holds 59 hostages, with 24 believed to be alive. The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing assaults has surged to over 51,000, predominantly women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
The war has resulted in the widespread destruction of Gaza, with major damage inflicted on its food production capabilities. Approximately 90% of the population has been displaced, leading many to live in makeshift tents and destroyed buildings. Frustration is palpable on both sides of the conflict, as rare public protests against Hamas have surfaced in Gaza, while continued demonstrations in Israel demand governmental efforts to secure the release of all hostages.
On Saturday night, thousands of Israelis participated in protests calling for action. "Do what you should have done a long time ago. Bring them all back now! And in one deal. And if this means to stop the war, then stop the war," former hostage Omer Shem Tov urged at a rally in Tel Aviv.
