Israel Pledges to Escalate Gaza Campaign Until Hamas is Defeated and Hostages Freed
Israel Pledges to Escalate Gaza Campaign Until Hamas is Defeated and Hostages Freed
LN24 / 4 minutes
March 25, 2025
2 min read
On Tuesday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that Israel would increase its control over Gaza and continue its military campaign until Hamas is completely defeated if the group refuses to release the remaining hostages. His comments came as efforts were underway to restore a ceasefire deal in Gaza, which collapsed when Israel resumed air and ground strikes on March 18, following unsuccessful negotiations to extend a two-month truce. Israel has made it clear that it will not tolerate Hamas governance or military control in Gaza after the group’s October 7, 2023, cross-border attack, which triggered the ongoing conflict.
The Israeli military announced last week that it had launched a targeted ground operation in central and southern Gaza after renewing its bombardment of the region, resulting in hundreds of Palestinian casualties. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the goal of the new campaign is to pressure Hamas into releasing the remaining hostages. Katz warned that if Hamas continues to refuse, Israel will escalate its actions, taking more territory and targeting militants and terror infrastructure until Hamas surrenders completely.
This latest offensive has been one of the deadliest since the conflict began 17 months ago, ending a fragile ceasefire that had been in effect since January 19. Hamas is still holding 59 hostages, 24 of whom are believed to be alive, out of more than 250 taken during the October 7 attack. Many others have been freed or their bodies returned through negotiated exchanges. According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, Israeli military actions have led to over 50,000 Palestinian deaths.
