Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that the entire Gaza Strip will come under Israeli military control as his government presses forward with its most aggressive phase yet in the war on Gaza.
The announcement, made during his first news conference since December, signaled a dramatic escalation in a conflict already marked by mass civilian suffering and international condemnation.
At least 82 Palestinians were killed on Wednesday alone, bringing the death toll to the hundreds in just days, as relentless airstrikes batter the besieged enclave.
Humanitarian conditions continue to worsen rapidly — with over 93% of Gaza’s children now on the brink of famine, according to a UN-backed food security assessment.
Netanyahu reiterated his government’s maximalist demands for ending the war: the release of all hostages, disarmament of Hamas, exile of its leadership, and implementation of a controversial Trump-era plan that would see Palestinians expelled from Gaza.
The plan has been widely condemned as ethnic cleansing by international rights groups and governments.
In a rare shift, Netanyahu signaled openness to a temporary ceasefire tied to a hostage deal, but maintained that “freedom of operational action” must be preserved.
He also admitted to coordinating with the United States on a food distribution plan meant to bypass Hamas, though aid agencies report that no supplies have reached starving civilians due to logistical chaos and ongoing bombardments.
Despite allowing 100 aid trucks into Gaza on Wednesday, UN officials say no meaningful relief has been delivered.
