Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel would annex part of the Gaza Strip unless Hamas releases the remaining Israeli hostages held at the Palestinian enclave. The statement comes amidst the intensifying Israeli attacks in Gaza, which began Tuesday.
“I have ordered the IDF to seize more territory in Gaza,” Katz said in a statement. “The more Hamas is keen on refusing to release hostages, the more territory annexed by Israel will be lost.”
Israeli forces continued their attacks on Gaza on Friday, effectively ending a two-month ceasefire earlier this week.
Health officials in Hamaslan Gaza said 504 people have been killed since the war resumed on Thursday.
During the terrorist attack on October 7, 2023, Hamas and other extremists killed around 1,200 people and took another 251 hostages. Fifty-nine hostages are still being detained by Hamas and other Palestinian extremist groups. Israeli authorities believe 24 people are still alive.
Gaza’s “devastating” state
Dr. Mohammed Mustafa, an Australian doctor working in Gaza, told DW that the enclave’s medical condition was “devastating” as combat resumes.
“There are very few drugs, there are little or no antibiotics,” he said. “We really lack resources, medical devices, and basic things like blood pressure cuffs, monitoring people’s oxygen levels, and even oxygen cylinders.”
Mustafa said the current shortage of fuel in Gaza means that medical teams struggle to transport patients from one hospital to another, where they can care for them, and some patients succumb to their wounds as a result.
The former hostages are calling for an end to Israeli military operations
The 40 survivors of Hamas prisoners and 250 families of hostages have signed a letter calling for the Netanyahu government to halt Israeli military operations and return to negotiations with Hamas to ensure the release of the remaining 59 hostages.
“This letter was written in blood and tears. His loved ones were captured and murdered and drafted by crying friends and family. “Stop the fight. Return to the negotiation table and complete the agreement to return all hostages to end the war.”
“The Israeli government has chosen an endless war on hostage rescue and return, thereby sacrificing them to their deaths. This policy is a crime. You have no authority to sacrifice 59 hostages,” the letter said.
Germany, France and the UK urge them to return to a ceasefire
On Friday evening, Germany, France and the UK issued a joint statement calling for an “immediate return to the ceasefire.”
Foreign ministers from three European countries known as E3 “are appealing to civilian casualties,” calling the resumption of Israeli airstrikes this week a “dramatic step backwards for Gaza, hostages, families and people across the region.”
“We are calling on Israel to restore humanitarian access, including water and electricity, and to ensure access to medical care and temporary medical evacuation in accordance with international humanitarian law,” the statement said.
The minister also urged Hamas to release hostages who said “they were cruelly detained and refused to continue to release them.”
The statement added that the conflict will not be resolved militarily, and argued that a long-term ceasefire is the only way to ensure sustainable peace.
The E3 Foreign Minister also called for a full investigation, saying he was “deeply shocked” by Wednesday’s incident at the UN Project Service (UNOPS) building in Gaza, in which one UN worker died and several others injured.
Hamas is “reviewing the ceasefire”
After ordering the resumption of fighting in Gaza earlier this week, Netanyahu said consultations will take place in the next phase of the ceasefire.
Palestinian extremist group Hamas said it was designating terrorist groups from Israel, the US, the European Union and reviewing offers made by the US to restore a ceasefire with Israel.
The latest offer from US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who labeled the “bridge” plan, aims to expand the ceasefire in April. It will take it beyond Ramadan and Passover holidays and allow more time to negotiate a permanent ceasefire between both sides.
According to a Reuters report, Egypt has proposed a bridge, citing Palestinian officials, but Hamas has not yet responded.
Israel wants to extend the first phase of the ceasefire, as it will happen under the bridge plan, but Hamas insisted on sticking to the terms of the deal signed by Netanyahu in January. Israel barely refused to do so.
The second phase of the contract agreed in January calls for the release of all remaining living hostages in exchange for the permanent end of the war and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
Netanyahu said Israel will not leave Gaza until Hamas cannot return to local power.
Editors: Sean Siniko and Alex Berry
