Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu has repeated threats to seize territory in the Gaza Strip if Hamas failed to release the remaining hostages it still holds.
Speaking to parliament, Netanyahu vowed that Israel will increase its “repression” on Gaza the longer Hamas refuses to release Israeli captives.
“I say this to my colleagues in the Knesset, and I say it to Hamas as well: This includes the seizure of territories, along with other measures I will not elaborate here.”
Benjamin Netanyahu
There are 59 captives still held in Gaza, only 25 of whom Israel believes are still alive.
All surviving captives were expected to be released during the second stage of a ceasefire framework agreed upon by Israel and Hamas in January.
However, Israel resumed its attacks on Gaza, reneging on the ceasefire during the first phase of the deal without any agreement on the next stage.
As such, the number of people killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza has risen.
The Health Ministry in Gaza disclosed that the bodies of at least 39 people, including one recently recovered, arrived in hospitals across the besieged territory over the past 24 hours.
In its latest daily update, the ministry said that another 124 people were wounded in Israeli attacks.
The figures bring the confirmed number of people killed since the start of Israel’s war to 50,183 with another 113,828 wounded, it added. They include at least 830 people killed and 1,787 wounded since Israel ended a two-month ceasefire on March 18.
According to authorities in Gaza, more people are missing under the rubble of destroyed buildings and presumed dead.
Separately, the UN’s humanitarian agency (OCHA) said that at least eight aid workers have been killed in Gaza since Israel resumed its war last week.
They include staff members of UNOPS, the UNRWA and MSF.
It added that Gaza’s healthcare system is “under immense strain, struggling to provide the needed treatment for patients amid a sharp increase in casualties, a severe drop in medical stocks due to the halt in the entry of supplies, and a lack of medical equipment, blood units, and specialized medical personnel.”
“Furthermore, the existing stock of anaesthesia medications – which are critical for surgeries, labour and delivery, pain management, and ICU care – is running low, along with key medical supplies required for safe labour and deliveries.
“For the vaccines, there is zero-stock of Rota vaccine and approval for shipment from Israeli authorities is urgently needed.”
OCHA
The OCHA added that more than 142,000 Palestinians have been forcibly displaced since Israel resumed its war on Gaza on March 18, 2025. “Fleeing with only a few personal belongings, many people are now staying on the streets, in desperate need for food, drinking water, and shelter essentials,” the agency said.
It stressed that the displacement is being driven mainly by Israel’s displacement orders and its destruction of homes and public infrastructure.
Since Israel resumed the war, its military has issued six notices, placing about 15 percent of the Gaza Strip under evacuation.
Israeli Bombardment Of Gaza To Kill Hostages
Meanwhile, Hamas warned that hostages may be killed if Israel attempts to retrieve them by force and airstrikes continue in the Gaza Strip.
In a statement, Hamas accused Netanyahy of “lying to the families of the [captives] when he claims that the military option is capable of bringing them back alive.”
“Whenever the occupation tries to recover its [captives] by force, it returns them dead in coffins.”
Hamas
Also, the militant group added that breaching the ceasefire and returning to war was a “premeditated decision” by Netanyahu, who succumbed to pressure from far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
It added that the international community and mediators must pressure him to halt the aggression and return to the path of negotiation.
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