In recent days, Israel's far-right camp has turned up the heat on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging him to go all-in against Hamas and capture Gaza City once and for all. With a UN Security Council meeting looming, tensions in Tel Aviv's streets are at an all-time high. 🔥
Over 22 months into the conflict in Gaza, Israeli society is split. On one side, many want to end the war with a hostage deal. On the other, far-right leaders are demanding a crushing blow to Hamas. Their message: half-measures won’t cut it.
Last Friday, Netanyahu’s security cabinet announced plans to expand operations and seize Gaza City. While thousands marched through Tel Aviv in protest, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich slammed the plan as “half-hearted,” calling for a decisive victory rather than limited pressure.
“The prime minister and the cabinet gave in to weakness,” Smotrich declared in a fiery online video. “They once again chose more of the same—launching a military operation that does not aim for a decisive resolution.”
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, another far-right heavyweight, doubled down on the call for a total win: “It is possible to achieve victory. I want all of Gaza, transfer and colonization. This plan will not endanger the troops.”
Meanwhile, relatives of hostages still held in Gaza have been rallying in Tel Aviv. Carrying photos of loved ones, they warned that if hostages are harmed, they will hold leaders accountable “in town squares, election campaigns and at every time and place.”
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, over 61,000 Palestinians have been killed so far, and recent strikes have tragically hit civilians waiting at aid distribution centers. Of 251 hostages taken in 2023, 49 remain in Gaza—27 believed dead.
The global spotlight is also on Israel’s next move. On Sunday, the UN Security Council will deliberate on the unfolding situation. Foreign powers continue to push for a truce to secure hostages’ release and ease the humanitarian crisis, which the UN warns could lead to famine in Gaza.
Netanyahu, however, has remained steadfast. In a social media post, he made his stance clear: “We are not going to occupy Gaza – we are going to free Gaza from Hamas.”
As the debate rages on, the stakes couldn’t be higher. With hostages still in captivity and deep humanitarian concerns mounting, all eyes are on Netanyahu’s next moves—and whether Israel’s far-right push will seal a decisive chapter in this long-running conflict.
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Israel far right presses Netanyahu for decisive win against Hamas
cgtn.com
