Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned yesterday that the longer Hamas delays the release of more hostages, the greater the risk of it “taking over territories” in the Gaza Strip in addition to “other actions”. Hamas’s response was to warn that in the event of further Israeli airstrikes, the hostages could die.
Netanyahu’s warning echoed that made by his Defence Minister, Israel Kac, a day earlier, when he cautioned that if Hamas “continues to be so inflexible, it will pay a high price.” Moreover, Kac stressed that Israel would occupy more territory in the Gaza Strip.
Yesterday, Hamas claimed it was doing its utmost “to keep the captives alive” but that its efforts to do so were under threat from “blind” Israeli airstrikes .”Every time the Israelis try to free the hostages by force, they end up bringing them back in coffins”, Hamas declared.
The resumption of Israeli attacks on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip on 18 March came as Israel’s response to what it claimed was Hamas’s rejection of repeated offers to extend the ceasefire that was negotiated in January. Israel sought to extend the initial ceasefire phase in exchange for the release of more hostages plus a promise to negotiate a permanent truce in the future whereas Hamas wanted the hostage release to hinge on implementation of the second phase plus a guaranteed end to the war, in accordance with the terms of the original timetable.
According to Israeli army intelligence, 24 hostages remain alive, while Hamas also retains the bodies of 35 of those who were originally kidnapped.
Efforts to negotiate an end to the current fighting and a truce extension continue. According to the Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz, an Egyptian compromise proposal currently under consideration is similar to the earlier offer by Israel and the US, but aims also to provide additional guarantees for Hamas.
On Tuesday, the Gaza Strip health ministry declared that nearly 800 people have died as a result of the resumed Israeli attack, with previous statements indicating that most of the victims were women and children. Now, according to the ministry, the overall Palestinian death toll exceeds 50,000.
