Jerusalem: Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Tuesday he has approved operational plans for “continuing” the offensive in the Gaza Strip.
“I came here today to closely observe the fighting and preparations on the ground ahead of upcoming decisions,” Katz said during a visit to the Gaza Division, headquartered at Re’im Camp near the strip.
“Our main goal now is to bring all hostages home,” Katz said.
He warned that if Hamas does not release the remaining hostages, “it will pay increasingly heavy prices in territorial losses and the targeting of militants and terror infrastructure, until its complete defeat.”
Hamas kidnapped 251 hostages during its attack in southern Israel on October 7, 2023. According to Israeli tallies, 59 hostages remain in Gaza, with 35 of them presumed dead.
A phased ceasefire agreement took effect on January 19 after 15 months of Israel’s devastating assault on Gaza. Its first phase includes the release of 33 hostages and about 2,000 Palestinians held in Israeli jails. All remaining living hostages are expected to be released in the second phase in exchange for a permanent ceasefire and more Palestinian detainees freed.
However, Israel refused to move to the second phase and resumed air and ground assaults on Gaza on March 18, which, according to the latest data from Gaza-based health authorities, have so far killed 792 Palestinians.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel renewed the offensive because Hamas rejected offers to extend the initial phase of the ceasefire agreement.
In response to Israel’s renewed assaults, Hamas also made several rocket launches targeting Israeli territory, most of which Israel said have been intercepted.
On Monday, two informed Egyptian security sources told Xinhua news agency that Egypt had presented a new “urgent” proposal to Israel and Hamas, under which “Hamas will firstly release five living Israeli hostages, including an Israeli-American soldier, in return for a ceasefire in the strip for 40 days to pave the way for talks on the second stage.”
Hamas immediately agreed to Egypt’s new proposal, the sources noted, without specifying whether the Israeli side has delivered a response.
(IANS)
