Israel’s protection minister introduced on Wednesday an enlargement of its navy offensive in Gaza, together with plans to grab “giant areas” of the enclave, an obvious try to pile extra stress on Hamas as efforts to revive a shattered cease-fire falter.
The remarks, which echoed a similar threat by the minister, Israel Katz, last month, counsel that Israel intends to carry captured territory, a minimum of briefly, in a shift from earlier techniques. Within the 15-month navy marketing campaign that preceded the January truce, Israeli forces stormed Gazan cities earlier than withdrawing, forsaking huge destruction however allowing Palestinian militants to regroup within the rubble.
Mr. Katz mentioned newly captured territory can be “added to the safety zones” that the navy presently maintains in Gaza, which embody a buffer alongside the enclave’s borders with Egypt and Israel, and far of a key street within the middle of the enclave.
He added that the increasing operation concerned “wide-scale evacuations of Gaza’s inhabitants from fight zones.”
He didn’t elaborate as to how a lot territory he hoped to seize or for a way lengthy. Because the cease-fire collapsed in late March, Israeli forces have been advancing deeper into the Gaza Strip, together with within the southern metropolis of Rafah, although they haven’t been sweeping via Palestinian cities as they did earlier than the truce. Either side have been talking to mediators about a potential deal to revive the truce — up to now with out success.
It’s removed from clear whether or not both aspect might drive the opposite to simply accept its phrases for an settlement via navy means. Hamas is demanding an finish to the conflict and a full Israeli withdrawal in trade for the discharge of all hostages.
This week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel laid out what seemed to be his calls for for postwar Gaza — all of that are more likely to be nonstarters for Hamas. They embody Hamas’s laying down its arms, complete Israeli safety management in Gaza and the implementation of President Trump’s proposal that Gazans go away en masse.
“That’s the plan,” Mr. Netanyahu mentioned in remarks distributed by his workplace on Sunday. “We aren’t hiding this. We’re prepared to speak about it at any time.”
The Israeli navy resumed its assaults in opposition to Hamas in Gaza on March 18 after Israel and Hamas failed to succeed in an settlement to increase a cease-fire that began in January. Greater than 1,000 individuals in Gaza have been killed for the reason that truce’s collapse, in keeping with the Gaza well being ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants.
Israeli leaders have mentioned that they may not enable the cease-fire to proceed so long as Hamas doesn’t launch extra of the handfuls of remaining hostages held in Gaza. Hamas accused Israel of breaking the January truce.
Mediators — together with envoys from the Trump administration — have up to now didn’t dealer a brand new cease-fire. Many Gazans worry the conflict will proceed indefinitely given the entrenched disagreements between Hamas and Israel over the form of a possible future truce.
The Israeli navy has issued sweeping evacuation orders for elements of Gaza. Greater than 140,000 individuals within the enclave have been displaced for the reason that cease-fire broke down, according to the United Nations. Many had been simply beginning to resettle into their previous neighborhoods throughout the Gaza Strip earlier than being pressured to flee once more.
Gaza well being officers say that greater than 50,000 individuals have been killed within the enclave for the reason that conflict started after the Hamas-led assault on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. That assault killed 1,200 individuals and noticed 250 taken hostage to Gaza. A minimum of 59 hostages stay within the enclave, though about 35 of these are presumed useless, in keeping with the Israeli authorities.
Gabby Sobelman contributed reporting from Rehovot, Israel.
