Israel’s Plans to Expand Gaza Assault Means ‘Sacrificing’ Captives: Hamas

Gaza (Quds News Network)- Hamas has warned that Israel’s plan to expand its assault on Gaza “represents an explicit decision to sacrifice the Israeli captives in the enclave.”

“The approval of the [Israeli] occupation cabinet of plans to expand its ground offensive in Gaza represents an explicit decision to sacrifice the Israeli hostages in the enclave,” Hamas said in a statement on Tuesday.

It called the Israeli decision “a reproduction of the cycle of failure” over the past 20 months without “achieving its declared goals”.

Hamas said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s comments about expanding the war on Gaza “reflect his insistence on committing more crimes against civilians under a cover provided by the US administration”.

It called on Arab and Islamic countries, the UN, and the international community “to take immediate action to curb the fascist occupation government, and bring its leaders to international justice”.

It’s believed 59 captives remain in Gaza with 24 alive, according to Israeli estimates. By comparison, more than 9,500 Palestinians remain imprisoned in Israel and are subjected to torture, starvation, and medical neglect, according to Palestinian and Israeli human rights organisations.

On Sunday, Netanyahu and his war cabinet approved plans to expand the genocide in Gaza with officials suggesting that the plans include the “conquest” and full military occupation of the entire Gaza Strip.

Israeli reports said the cabinet had approved plans for an expanded ground invasion, but said it would not begin until after US President Donald Trump’s upcoming travels to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, which will take place from May 13 to 16.

The approval of the war expansion came after the Israeli military said it would mobilize tens of thousands of reservists to the enclave.

The plans will also put the Israeli military in charge of food and other vital supplies to the 2.3 million people suffering under its blockade of the Palestinian territory. Israel reportedly plans to use US security contractors to control the flow of aid into Gaza.

The Humanitarian Country Team (HCT), a forum that includes United Nations agencies, said on Sunday that Israeli officials were seeking its consent to deliver aid through what it described as “Israeli hubs under conditions set by the Israeli military, once the government agrees to re-open crossings”.

In a statement, the HCT said such a plan would be dangerous and would “contravene fundamental humanitarian principles and appears designed to reinforce control over life-sustaining items as a pressure tactic – as part of a military strategy”.

One Israeli official said the new plans for Israel’s war in Gaza involves “the conquest of territory and remaining there.” The Israeli military will displace the Palestinian population to southern Gaza while carrying out “powerful strikes” against Hamas, the official said.

In a Hebrew-language video message on X, addressing the Security Cabinet-approved plan to expand the Gaza offensive, Netanyahu said on Monday that Gaza’s Palestinian population “will be moved, for its own protection”.

Netanyahu also confirmed that Israeli soldiers would not go into Gaza, launch raids and then retreat. “The intention is the opposite of that,” he said.

An Israeli source told AFP news agency that Netanyahu “continues to promote” United States President Donald Trump’s plan for the forced displacement of Palestinians from the enclave.

Israel unilaterally violated the Gaza ceasefire in March after refusing to proceed to the second phase, which would have secured the release of all remaining captives. Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected offers from Hamas for their release.

Since March 2, Israel has closed Gaza’s main crossings, halting the flow of food, medical aid, and other humanitarian supplies. This blockade has caused a severe and unprecedented decline in living conditions, with human rights organizations accusing Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war against Palestinians.

Israel resumed its assault on Gaza on March 18, killing over 2,400 Palestinians and wounding more than 6,500—mostly children and women, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.