Jerusalem: The Israeli government has issued stark warnings of severe military action if Hamas does not release the remaining hostages still held in Gaza.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu vowed "unimaginable consequences," while Defence Minister Israel Katz declared that if Hamas failed to comply, "the gates of Gaza will be locked, and the gates of hell will open."
The strong rhetoric came amid a tense session in Israel’s parliament, where families of the captives expressed their frustration, even booing Netanyahu. The remarks also coincided with faltering negotiations over the next phase of an already fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Netanyahu directly addressed Hamas, saying, “If you do not release our hostages, there will be consequences that you cannot imagine.” Katz reinforced this stance, warning that Israel’s military would return to combat with unprecedented force until achieving "a decisive victory."
The Israeli government is facing growing internal pressure, particularly from the families of hostages, who blame Netanyahu for delays in securing the captives' release. Tensions escalated in parliament, leading to confrontations between security guards and hostage relatives demanding a formal inquiry into the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that ignited the ongoing conflict.
On Sunday, Israel halted humanitarian aid deliveries into Gaza as the initial six-week ceasefire phase neared its end. This truce had allowed critical supplies, including food and medical aid, to reach the war-torn region after over 15 months of conflict. Under the agreement, Hamas released 25 living hostages and eight bodies in exchange for Israel freeing around 1,800 Palestinian prisoners.
Of the 251 individuals kidnapped during Hamas’s attack, 58 remain in Gaza, with the Israeli military confirming that 34 of them are deceased.
While Israel had initially agreed to extend the ceasefire until mid-April—reportedly based on a proposal by U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff—Hamas has rejected prolonging the first phase of the agreement. Instead, the group has pushed for moving directly into the next stages, which could pave the way for a permanent end to the war.
Israeli media reported that Netanyahu is ramping up pressure on Hamas to accept Israel’s terms for an extension. Public broadcaster Kan indicated that Netanyahu is waiting to see if mediators can convince Hamas before deciding whether to resume military operations.
According to reports, Israel has devised a plan, dubbed the "Hell Plan," which includes displacing civilians from northern Gaza to the south and cutting off electricity. If these measures fail to compel Hamas, Israel is prepared to return to full-scale combat using recently acquired U.S.-made bombs.
However, the newspaper Israel Hayom suggested that Netanyahu, in contrast to his far-right coalition partners, is still exploring every option to secure the hostages' release before resorting to war.
