Israel has launched new attacks against Hamas and has promised to ‘increase military force’ following the failure of talks about further hostage release.
Early Friday morning Israel’s prime minister’s office announced that it had instructed the army in Gaza to attack Hamas.
It was due to Hamas’ refusals repeatedly to release their hostages and its rejections of all offers from U.S. Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff or mediators.
The strikes follow a nearly two-month ceasefire that halted the 17-month war in which dozens of Palestinian prisoners were exchanged for nearly 2,000 hostages.
According to local authorities, Israel conducted airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, southern Lebanon, and southern Syria on Monday. At least 20 people, including a young child, were killed. The Israeli military claimed it was aiming at militants who were planning attacks.
Israel has been launching frequent, deadly airstrikes against Gaza and Lebanon during the fragile ceasefire. Israel has been blocking all fuel, food, medicine, and other supplies to Gaza for the past two weeks, demanding that Hamas accept the ceasefire agreement.
Prime Minister issued the following statement:
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Defense Minister Israel Katz, have instructed the IDF that they will take strong actions against the Hamas terrorist group in the Gaza Strip.”
Hamas has repeatedly refused to release hostages and rejected all the offers it received from US Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff as well as the mediators.
“The IDF, at this moment, is attacking Hamas terrorist targets throughout the Gaza Strip to achieve the war objectives as determined by the highest political level, including the release of all our hostages both alive and dead.”
“Israel will now act against Hamas in a more militarily powerful manner.”
The IDF presented its operational plan over the weekend, and the political leadership approved it.
