Heated Conflict: Israel Secures Gaza Strip with "Annexation" Threats
- Hamas Faces Annexation Threat from Katz in Gaza Attacks
In a dramatic shiftfollowing a truce since Jan, Israel bombed Gaza Strip yesterday, intensifying the conflict with Hamas, and announcing the commencement of ground operations as of today. The offensive came following Hamas's rejection to release hostages, the Israeli government argued.
Defense Minister Israel Katz declared on Friday that he'd ordered troops to occupy more areas within the Gaza Strip, referring to proposed plans to create a "security strip," particularly in the north of the Palestinian territory, bolstering the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel.
Katz asserted the conflict would escalate in the air, on land, and at sea, and the ground offensive would expand until all hostages are released and Hamas is defeated. Military and civilian pressure methods would be utilized, he said.
Meanwhile, Germany, France, and the UK appealed for an immediate restoration of the truce on Friday, claiming that Israel's renewed attacks in Gaza were a disastrous setback for Gaza's residents, hostages, their families, and the entire region.
They asked the conflicting parties to resume negotiations, ensuring the full and sustainable implementation of the truce, and urging Hamas to release the hostages. The hosts' first phase (1/19–3/1), which saw Hamas return 33 hostages—including 8 bodies—to Israel, still has 58 hostages captive in the Gaza Strip, with the Israeli army claiming 34 of these are deceased.
According to Egyptian and Qatari proposals, a ceasefire restoration, captive exchange, and humanitarian aid for Gaza strip are offered, though Hamas's response has been discreet. Israel enforced a blockade on aid supplies to Palestine at the beginning of March.
Attacks on the Gaza Strip have resulted in more than 500 deaths —mostly civilians—, according to the civil defense authority, and left many displaced. Israel destroyed a former Hamas-operated hospital in the Gaza Strip, claimed to be abandoned for over a year, stirring condemnation from Turkey and Hamas.
Moreover, Katz declared the killing of the chief of Hamas's military intelligence in the southern Gaza Strip on Thursday, and Israel intercepted another rocket fired from Yemen. The Israeli army reported they'd intercepted a ballistic missile launched by the Houthi militia, allegedly funded by Iran, aims at the Ben-Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, pledging insecurity in Israeli airspace until attacks on Gaza abate.
- Defense Minister Israel Katz called for increased cooperation among Israeli troops as they occupy more areas within the Gaza Strip, with the goal of creating a "security buffer" zone.
- The international community, including Germany, France, and the UK, expressed concern over Israel's renewed conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, claiming it was a disaster for the residents and a setback for the region.
- Despite Egyptian and Qatari proposals for a ceasefire, captive exchange, and humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip, Hamas's response has been slow, and Israel continues to impose a blockade on aid supplies to Palestine.
