Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to “complete” the defeat of Hamas in Gaza as part of efforts to secure the release of remaining hostages, just days before his cabinet meets to finalise a new war plan. Speaking during a visit to an army training facility on Tuesday, Netanyahu stressed that Gaza must no longer pose a threat to Israel. Israeli media reports suggest he is considering ordering the total occupation of the enclave, a move that has drawn swift condemnation from Palestinian authorities and heightened warnings from the United Nations.

Public broadcaster Kan reported that Netanyahu wants the Israeli army to seize the entire Gaza Strip and expand operations into areas where hostages may be held, though some outlets, including Channel 12, suggested it could be a negotiating tactic. Hamas has dismissed the reported strategy as irrelevant to ceasefire talks, maintaining its demand for a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Senior Hamas official Hossam Badran told AFP that “the ball is in the hands of… (Israel) and the Americans,” reiterating the group’s aim to “end the war and the famine.”

At the UN Security Council, Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenca warned that widening the conflict risked “catastrophic consequences” for millions of Palestinians and could endanger the hostages’ lives. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, in New York for discussions on the crisis, underscored the urgency of securing the captives’ release after the recent circulation of harrowing footage showing them in frail and emaciated condition.