Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Wednesday, March 26, that Israel may seize parts of Gaza if Hamas does not release hostages.
His statement follows a warning from Hamas that hostages could be returned as dead bodies if Israel does not halt its bombing campaign in the Palestinian territory.
Since the Israeli military resumed operations following a brief truce in January, tensions have escalated. Israel reported that two projectiles were fired from Gaza, with one intercepted and the other landing near the border. No casualties or damage were immediately reported.
The rocket fire came a day after hundreds of Palestinians staged a rare protest against Hamas, criticizing the group and calling for an end to the war.
Following the collapse of the fragile ceasefire, Israel intensified its airstrikes and ground operations in Gaza, while militants resumed launching rockets. According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, 830 people have been killed since Israel resumed strikes on March 18. No fatalities have been reported on the Israeli side.
Israeli officials stated that the renewed offensive aims to pressure Hamas into releasing the remaining hostages after negotiations stalled. The initial truce saw 33 Israeli captives freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. While Israel sought to extend the agreement, Hamas insisted on discussing a second phase that would lead to a permanent ceasefire.
Netanyahu addressed parliament, emphasizing that the longer Hamas refuses to release hostages, the greater the pressure Israel will apply.
“This includes the seizure of territories, along with other measures I will not elaborate on here. The more Hamas refuses to free the hostages, the more territory it will lose, which will be annexed by Israel,” he stated.
