Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday defended plans for a new military push into Gaza, declaring that Israel “has no choice but to finish the job and complete the defeat of Hamas,” as fresh violence left dozens of Palestinians dead and international criticism of Israel’s war strategy deepened.
Upcoming Offensive Targets Hamas Strongholds
Speaking to foreign media in Jerusalem, Netanyahu said his upcoming offensive would target Hamas’ last two strongholds in Gaza. “Our goal is not to occupy Gaza, our goal is to free Gaza,” he said, rejecting accusations that Israel seeks permanent control of the territory. He described the objectives as demilitarizing Gaza, ensuring “overriding security control” by Israel, and placing governance in the hands of a non-Israeli civilian administration.
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The prime minister dismissed what he called a “global campaign of lies” about Israel’s conduct and said there was a “fairly short timetable” for the next steps. He also ordered the military to allow more foreign journalists into Gaza a notable change from the strict media restrictions that have been in place.
Netanyahu once again blamed Hamas for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, charging that the group would not disarm and accusing it of employing civilians as human shields.
Dozens of Palestinians Killed Amid Aid Struggles
As Netanyahu spoke, at least 26 Palestinians were reported killed by hospitals in Gaza while attempting to acquire food and other supplies. Victims died on aid convoy routes and at privately operated distribution centers, witnesses and medical workers said.
Nasser Hospital said that ten individuals were killed along the Morag corridor between Khan Younis and Rafah. Six others were killed in northern Gaza along the Zikim crossing, the Gaza Health Ministry and Shifa Hospital reported.
In Gaza’s center, witnesses reported that Israeli fire struck crowds at a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) location after warning shots had been fired overhead. Four individuals were killed, Awda Hospital reported. The Israeli military refuted involvement, and GHF stated the incidents seemed to be the result of attempts at looting along aid convoys.
Seven additional Palestinians were reported dead in separate raids, two of them children, according to hospitals. The Israeli military had no comment on that.
Gaza health authorities reported two additional children dying from malnutrition on Saturday, taking the war death toll of children from hunger to 100. Another 117 adults have succumbed to the same conditions since late June. The overall death toll in the territory now stands at 61,400, reports the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry, adding that half of the dead are women and children.
Protests in Israel Over Gaza Military Plans
Netanyahu’s plans to capture Gaza City have incensed protests within Israel, with tens of thousands taking to the streets of Tel Aviv on Saturday evening. Relatives of Israeli hostages in Gaza called upon businesses to support a general strike next week, threatening that wider fighting risked putting their relatives in harm’s way.
Of the 251 individuals kidnapped during Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack killing approximately 1,200 in southern Israel around 50 are still in Gaza, and 20 are thought to be alive.
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Lishay Miran-Lavi, whose husband Omri is among the captives, appealed to US President Donald Trump and envoy Steve Witkoff to intervene. “The decision to send the army deeper into Gaza is a danger to my husband. But we can still stop this disaster,” she said.
