TEL AVIV: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz and the chief of General Staff of the Israel Defense Forc...
TEL AVIV: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz and the chief of General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, Eyal Zamir, discussed plans to expand the military operation in Gaza, the Ynet news website reported.
According to the report, during an hours-long meeting Katz and Zamir presented Netanyahu with a plan to step up military pressure on Hamas. Ynet reported that the plan, which includes calling up thousands more reservists, could be submitted to the cabinet for approval on May 4.
"Until Hamas releases the hostages, Israel will be significantly ramping up military operations," a military source told Ynet.
The plan lays out "another important phase" of the operation, which will fall short of seizing the entire sector.
Zamir said on April 24 that the Israeli military would expand its operations in Gaza if no progress was made in the talks to release hostages from the enclave.
On March 18, Israel resumed fighting in Gaza, putting an end to a ceasefire, which had been in place since January, with massive strikes on the enclave. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the move came after Hamas rejected the proposals that were put forward by mediators and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.
According to the latest Israeli data, Hamas is currently holding 24 living hostages and 35 bodies of dead hostages in Gaza.
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