Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signaled Israel is moving toward a full military takeover of Gaza despite continuing U.S. efforts to negotiate a comprehensive hostage exchange and strong opposition from Israeli military leaders.
Senior officials close to Netanyahu told Israeli media over the weekend that “the die is cast” and that a complete conquest of Gaza is the next step. The comments came shortly after Netanyahu told his Cabinet he would soon direct the IDF to achieve the three core objectives of the war: dismantling Hamas, freeing hostages and ensuring Gaza never again threatens Israel.
Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with defense officials and ministers including Defense Minister Israel Katz, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, who has opposed a full military takeover due to the high risk to hostages and soldiers.
Several former hostages who survived Hamas captivity have warned Israeli authorities that their captors threatened to kill them if Israeli forces approached their locations in the underground tunnel network. “The order was to execute,” survivors said.
Despite these warnings, Netanyahu’s inner circle has pushed ahead, aligning him with far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. The prime minister’s announcement comes amid ongoing diplomatic efforts by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, who recently visited Israel and met with hostage families.
Witkoff has stressed that the Trump administration is pursuing a new “all-for-all” approach to secure the release of every hostage in a single deal, rejecting partial agreements. However, officials mediating indirect talks in Qatar and Egypt say no comprehensive Israeli or American offer has been formally presented to Hamas.
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A senior Israeli official told The Washington Post that discussions with the Trump administration are ongoing, with growing recognition that Hamas may not be interested in a deal.
Meanwhile, Israel’s military warns a full-scale invasion would face severe challenges. More than a million civilians remain trapped in Gaza City with few safe places to relocate. Heavy damage to areas like Rafah, Khan Younis and northern Gaza has left few options for displacement.
Military officials say creating a humanitarian zone would require months of construction, international funding and global legitimacy, which currently does not exist — neither for further fighting nor for establishing a refugee enclave amid Gaza’s ruins.