Netanyahu has said a push to release the hostages would accompany the operation to take control of Gaza City and destroy the Hamas stronghold.
Gaza City is officially in the grip of famine, the worldโs leading authority on food crises confirmed on Friday, marking the first time a famine has been declared in the Middle East by the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). The dire situation threatens to spread to southern regions like Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis if a ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian access are not urgently implemented.
More than 500,000 Palestinians โ nearly a quarter of Gazaโs population โ are facing catastrophic levels of hunger, the IPC report said, with malnutrition and starvation-related deaths increasing daily. The IPCโs findings follow months of warnings from aid agencies about Israelโs military blockade and restrictions on humanitarian aid, which they say are driving a man-made famine.
โThis is a famine caused by cruelty, justified by revenge, enabled by indifference, and sustained by complicity,โ said Tom Fletcher, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, speaking in Geneva. He emphasised the famineโs preventable nature, calling it a stain on the global conscience.
Israel moves to seize Gaza City despite crisis
Even as famine takes hold, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans to authorise a full military seizure of Gaza City โ the largest urban centre in the Palestinian enclave โ and a major Hamas stronghold. This move comes as ceasefire negotiations, mediated by Egypt and Qatar, hang in the balance.
Netanyahu stated that military pressure and hostage negotiations will proceed in tandem. โThese two matters โ defeating Hamas and releasing our hostages โ go hand in hand,โ he said. The Defence Ministry has called up 60,000 reservists in preparation for the offensive, which is expected to forcibly displace close to 1 million people and escalate civilian suffering.
Defence Minister Israel Katz issued a chilling warning: โThe gates of hell will open upon Hamasโฆ Gaza City will become Rafah and Beit Hanoun,โ referencing two cities previously decimated by Israeli bombardment.
Ceasefire proposal and international outcry
Hamas earlier this week accepted a ceasefire proposal involving a 60-day truce and phased hostage exchanges. Israel, however, insists on the release of all hostages before halting its operations. The United States and other international actors have urged Israel to show restraint, though Israel appears determined to press forward.
UN agencies warn that the continued siege is dismantling what remains of Gazaโs healthcare, food, and water systems. The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) reports that 90% of Gazaโs population has already been displaced, and shelters are overwhelmed.
According to Gazaโs Health Ministry, 271 Palestinians โ including 112 children โ have died from hunger-related causes since the war began in October 2023. More than 62,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes, with the majority being civilians, the UN says.
As Israeli tanks advance and Gaza City braces for a ground invasion, humanitarian experts warn that the famine and violence combined could lead to one of the worst modern humanitarian catastrophes if an immediate ceasefire is not enforced.