“We Will Take Control of Gaza” — Netanyahu Vows

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that Israel will “take control of all the territory of the Strip,” as the military escalates its offensive in Gaza with what it calls “extensive ground operations.” The intensified campaign has triggered global concern amid worsening humanitarian conditions.

In a video shared on Telegram Monday, Netanyahu said the ongoing battle is “intense” but progressing. “We will not give up. But in order to succeed, we must act in a way that cannot be stopped,” he added.

The Israeli military issued an urgent evacuation call to civilians in the southern city of Khan Yunis and surrounding areas ahead of what it warned would be an “unprecedented attack.” This comes as airstrikes reportedly killed at least 22 people across Gaza in a single day.

While Israel has approved limited humanitarian aid, global agencies remain alarmed by the scale of suffering. “Two million people are starving,” said World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Tonnes of food are blocked at the border, just minutes away.”

Israel’s total blockade since March 2 was intended to pressure Hamas, but has resulted in severe shortages of food, water, fuel, and medicine. Netanyahu acknowledged the need to allow minimal aid in, warning that even Israel’s allies “would not tolerate images of mass starvation.”

Divisions are emerging within Israel’s own leadership. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir opposed any aid, stating, “Our hostages receive no humanitarian aid.” In contrast, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich backed limited relief, calling it a strategic move to maintain international support while preventing aid from reaching Hamas.

The Israeli military reported over 160 “terror targets” struck within 24 hours. In Khan Yunis, civil defense officials said 11 people were killed, with another 11 dead in other areas.

Footage from AFPTV showed helicopters hovering above Khan Yunis and wounded civilians arriving at Nasser Hospital, including young children. Gaza resident Mohammed Sarhan described the scene as apocalyptic, with relentless gunfire and air assaults.

Further north in Deir el-Balah, a grieving Ayman Badwan said, “We are exhausted and drained — we can’t take it anymore. A solution must be found, and the world must intervene.”

The war, sparked by Hamas’s October 2023 assault that killed 1,218 people in Israel and led to the capture of 251 hostages, has resulted in massive casualties in Gaza. The territory’s health ministry reports at least 53,339 deaths since the conflict began.

As the military campaign intensifies and humanitarian conditions deteriorate, international calls for an immediate ceasefire and renewed negotiations are growing louder.