Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday defended his new plan to seize Gaza City and dismantle the remaining Hamas strongholds, calling it “the best way to end the war” despite mounting domestic and international calls for a ceasefire.
Nearly 22 months into the conflict—triggered by Hamas’s unprecedented October 2023 attack—Israel remains deeply divided. Some citizens demand an immediate truce and a hostage-release deal, while others insist on a complete military defeat of Hamas.
Tensions spiked last week after Netanyahu’s security cabinet approved an expanded offensive aimed at taking full control of Gaza City and the central refugee camps. Speaking at a press conference in Jerusalem, Netanyahu said the operation would be carried out “on a fairly short timetable,” establishing safe corridors for civilians while “finishing the job” against Hamas.
“We have 70 to 75 percent of Gaza under Israeli military control,” he said. “But we have two remaining strongholds: Gaza City and the central camps in Al Mawasi. Israel has no choice but to dismantle them.”
A Hamas spokesperson dismissed the remarks as “a series of lies.”
The announcement has sparked mass protests in Tel Aviv, where demonstrators warned that expanding the war could endanger hostages and cost more soldiers’ lives. Opposition has also come from within Netanyahu’s coalition: Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called the plan “half-hearted,” while far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir pushed for full occupation and resettlement of Gaza.
International condemnation has been swift. UN Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenca warned that the plan could trigger “another calamity” in Gaza, worsening displacement, hunger, and destruction. Israel’s offensive has already killed at least 61,430 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry—figures the UN deems credible—with famine looming.
Despite the backlash, Netanyahu remains defiant: “We will win the war, with or without the support of others. Our goal is not to occupy Gaza, but to establish a civilian administration unaffiliated with Hamas or the Palestinian Authority.”
His office confirmed he discussed the plan with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Of the 251 hostages seized by Hamas in 2023, 49 remain in Gaza—27 of them confirmed dead by Israel’s military. On Sunday alone, at least 27 Palestinians were killed by Israeli strikes, including 11 near aid distribution centres.
Hamas’s initial attack killed 1,219 people in Israel, according to official figures. Since then, media watchdogs report around 200 journalists have been killed in Gaza, including five Al Jazeera staff in an Israeli strike on Sunday.
