The statement was made with the aim of defeating and erasing the Hamas armed group. He insists there will be no end to the operation in the meantime, even if a temporary ceasefire is in place, the Times of Israel reported.
The decision to increase the operation comes as negotiations on the second phase of the ceasefire have been at a standstill since mid-March. In early May, the Israeli government approved a plan to expand attacks on the Gaza Strip.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it has planned a larger-scale military operation, including the emigration of the majority of residents in the area, which has prompted strong opposition from the international community.
Since the military campaign began in response to Hamas' attack in October 2023, nearly all 2.4 million people in the Gaza Strip have been forced to evacuate at least once. Reports show more than 1,200 people were killed in the Hamas attack in October 2023, while Israel's response campaign killed nearly 53,000 people in the Gaza Strip, mostly civilians.
Israel is pushing for plans to relocate Palestinians out of the Gaza Strip. A senior security official for the country said a voluntary evacuation program would be one of the goals of the current military campaign. Israeli ministers have repeatedly reiterated US President Donald Trump's proposal that people in the Gaza Strip could leave for neighboring countries such as Jordan and Egypt.
However, this plan has been strongly opposed by Egypt, Jordan, many Arab countries in the Middle East and the Palestinians themselves. Despite that, Prime Minister Netanyahu said Israel was looking for countries ready to receive people in the Gaza Strip and had established a specialized agency to support the departure. He emphasized: "If we open up an escape route for them, more than 50% of the people of the Gaza Strip will leave, or even more."
Israel's military campaign is entering a new phase of escalation, with expanded scale and goals. Meanwhile, the international community continues to closely monitor developments and call for peaceful solutions for areas in serious humanitarian crises.
