Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a stark warning, threatening to seize parts of Gaza if Hamas refuses to release the remaining hostages. Meanwhile, Hamas has responded with its own chilling threat, saying any forced rescue attempts will only bring captives back “in coffins.”
This latest escalation comes after Israel resumed military operations in Gaza, following the breakdown of a fragile ceasefire that had facilitated a prisoner exchange. In just over a week since the fighting resumed, Gaza’s health ministry claims over 830 Palestinians have been killed, while Hamas militants have fired rockets into Israel.
Speaking to Israel’s parliament, Netanyahu doubled down on his hardline stance:
“The more Hamas refuses to release our hostages, the stronger the pressure we will exert,” he said. “This includes the seizure of territories, along with other measures I will not elaborate on.”
His remarks echo an earlier statement by Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, who warned that any land Hamas loses would be permanently annexed by Israel.
The Hostage Standoff
Since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack, which resulted in 1,218 deaths in Israel, militants have held Israeli captives in Gaza. Of the 251 initially taken, 58 remain in captivity—34 of whom the Israeli military believes are already dead.
Hamas, however, insists it is doing its best to keep the hostages alive but blames Israeli airstrikes for putting them at risk.
“Every time the occupation attempts to retrieve its captives by force, it ends up bringing them back in coffins,” the group said.
Families of the hostages remain in agony, torn between calls for increased military pressure and fears that continued bombing could endanger their loved ones.
“We are fighting a terrorist organization that only understands force,” said Gal Gilboa-Dalal, whose brother is among the captives. “But I am terrified that these bombings will endanger the hostages.”
Growing Unrest in Gaza
Amid the escalating conflict, rare protests have erupted inside Gaza against Hamas’s rule. Hundreds of Palestinians recently gathered to chant “Hamas out” and “Hamas terrorists,” an unprecedented act of defiance against the group that has controlled Gaza since 2007.
“If Hamas leaving power in Gaza is the solution, why don’t they step aside to protect the people?” one protester said.
With the war dragging on and casualties mounting, pressure is growing on both sides. As Israel signals a willingness to redraw Gaza’s borders by force, and Hamas refuses to back down, the fate of the remaining hostages—and the region—hangs in the balance.
