Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a public address to the nation, blamed Hamas for reigniting the conflict and defended the resumption of military operations in Gaza.
“Hamas is responsible for this war,” Netanyahu declared. “It invaded our towns, murdered our people, raped our women, and kidnapped our loved ones. Hamas refused offer after offer to release our hostages.”
He claimed that Israel had refrained from initiating military action for two weeks in hopes that Hamas would change its stance. However, following Hamas’ rejection of a proposal by US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, Netanyahu said he had no choice but to order a renewed offensive. “Israel does not target Palestinian civilians. We target Hamas terrorists,” he added, while urging Palestinian civilians to move to safer areas.
Netanyahu also thanked President Trump for his “unwavering support” and vowed that Israel would continue its mission to destroy Hamas and bring hostages home.
Netanyahu’s statement comes hours after Israel launched a large-scale aerial assault across the Gaza Strip. According to local health officials, the strikes killed at least 404 Palestinians and wounded more than 560, shattering a ceasefire that had held since January. The Gaza Health Ministry reported that most of those killed were women and children.
Hamas claimed that the strikes killed at least six senior officials, including the head of its civilian government and key security chiefs. Israel insisted that its targets were military and political leaders responsible for attacks against its citizens.
Netanyahu had characterized the strikes as “only the beginning” and pledged to press on until all of Israel’s war aims were achieved. He also warned that future ceasefire negotiations would occur “under fire”, as reported by the Associated Press.
The Israeli military instructed residents of eastern Gaza to evacuate toward the center of the territory, hinting at an impending ground operation. Meanwhile, humanitarian organizations raised alarms about the worsening crisis, with supplies of food, medicine, and fuel rapidly depleting after Israel cut off deliveries two weeks earlier.
The war, which began on October 7, 2023, has claimed the lives of more than 48,500 Palestinians, according to local health officials. The conflict erupted when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people—mostly civilians—and abducting 251 hostages. Despite periodic ceasefires, the fighting has resulted in the near-total destruction of Gaza and the displacement of 90% of its population.
The United States reaffirmed its support for Israel, with National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes stating that Hamas bore responsibility for the renewed violence. However, the ceasefire agreement brokered with US assistance did not explicitly require Hamas to release additional hostages to extend the truce beyond its initial phase.
