Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed on Saturday that Israel will press ahead with its military campaign in Gaza, insisting the war won’t end until Hamas is dismantled, the remaining hostages are freed, and the territory is no longer seen as a threat to Israel. He also reiterated his commitment to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Netanyahu is facing growing domestic criticism—not just from families of hostages but also from reservists and former soldiers—especially after Israel resumed fighting last month, ending a temporary ceasefire. He claimed that Hamas rejected a recent Israeli proposal to exchange half of the hostages for a renewed pause in fighting.
His comments came as the death toll in Gaza continued to rise. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, Israeli airstrikes have killed over 90 people in the past two days. Among the dead were children and women, including 11 people killed in the Khan Younis area, some in tents within the designated humanitarian zone of Muwasi. Another Israeli strike in central Gaza killed one person, Al-Awda Hospital reported.
Israel’s military said it killed more than 40 militants over the weekend and confirmed the death of one Israeli soldier in northern Gaza—the first since fighting resumed on March 18. Hamas’ Qassam Brigades said they ambushed Israeli troops east of Gaza City.
The Israeli government has said it will continue to escalate military operations and maintain control over large “security zones” inside Gaza, a coastal territory home to over 2 million people. Hamas continues to demand a complete Israeli withdrawal.
Meanwhile, Gaza remains under a six-week-long blockade, with aid and supplies mostly cut off. Humanitarian agencies warn that food shortages are becoming catastrophic, with many children malnourished and families surviving on barely one meal a day.
Dr. Hanan Balkhy of the World Health Organization called on the newly appointed U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, to pressure Israeli authorities to lift the blockade to allow medicine and humanitarian aid in. “I wish he could see the situation firsthand,” she said.
The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants launched a deadly assault on southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages. Most have since been released, but 59 remain captive—24 of them believed to be alive.
Since then, Israel’s offensive has killed more than 51,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and fighters. Massive destruction has left about 90% of Gaza’s population displaced, with many sheltering in makeshift camps or damaged buildings.
Public discontent is rising on both sides. There have been rare anti-Hamas protests in Gaza, while Israelis continue to rally weekly, demanding a hostage release deal. Thousands protested again on Saturday night.
At a Tel Aviv rally, former hostage Omer Shem Tov urged the government to take 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,” he said.
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