Netanyahu vows to press Gaza offensive as civilian deaths rise

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed on Saturday that Israel will press on with its military operations in Gaza until Hamas is dismantled, all hostages are freed, and long-term security is assured.

He insisted Israel has “no choice” but to continue the war, despite mounting domestic and international pressure.

In a televised statement, Netanyahu accused Hamas of rejecting Israel’s latest proposal to free half of the hostages in exchange for a temporary truce.

Hamas, for its part, maintains it will only release hostages under a permanent ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal, conditions Israel has so far rejected.

Netanyahu also reiterated Israel’s determination to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes killed over 90 Palestinians across Gaza within 48 hours, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported. Among the dead were women and children, including victims in Khan Younis’ Muwasi area, a zone designated by Israel as a “humanitarian safe area.” Hospital workers said several people, including children, were killed in their tents.

In Rafah, four civilians, including a mother and her daughter, were killed in strikes, while another airstrike in Nuseirat claimed one life.

Emotional scenes unfolded at hospitals and funeral gatherings, where grieving relatives mourned their loved ones. “Omar is gone… I wish it was me,” cried one bereaved brother.

Israel’s military said it killed over 40 militants over the weekend. It also confirmed the death of an Israeli soldier in northern Gaza on Saturday — the first since operations resumed on March 18. Hamas’ military wing, the Qassam Brigades, claimed responsibility for an ambush in Gaza City’s al-Tuffah neighborhood.

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The Israeli government has pledged to intensify attacks across Gaza and establish “security zones” within the densely populated territory of over 2 million people. Gaza remains under an Israeli blockade that has lasted six weeks, severely restricting food, medicine, and other humanitarian supplies.

Aid agencies have warned of a deepening humanitarian catastrophe. The United Nations reported that thousands of children are now malnourished, and the majority of Gaza’s population survives on just one meal per day.

Dr. Hanan Balkhy, head of the World Health Organization’s eastern Mediterranean office, urged U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee to push Israel to allow aid deliveries, calling on him to witness the situation firsthand.

The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and taking 251 hostages. Since then, most hostages have been released through ceasefire deals or negotiations, but 59 remain captive, with 24 believed to be alive.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive has devastated Gaza, killing over 51,000 Palestinians — mostly women and children — according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and militants.

Around 90% of Gaza’s population has been displaced, many living in overcrowded tent camps or ruined buildings.

Public frustration is growing on both sides. In Gaza, rare protests against Hamas have emerged, while in Israel, thousands continue to rally weekly, demanding a deal to bring home all remaining hostages.

On Saturday night, mass protests erupted again in Tel Aviv. Former hostage Omer Shem Tov addressed the crowd, urging the government to act: “Do what you should have done a long time ago. Bring them all back now! And in one deal. And if this means to stop the war, then stop the war.”