Dismantling evil

“We are determined to achieve all the goals of the war,” stated the prime minister during Wednesday’s Knesset debate. Jerusalem’s war objectives include the destruction of Hamas, the return of the 59 remaining hostages and ensuring that the Gaza Strip will never again pose a threat to Israel.

According to Netanyahu, his coalition has been “doing things that no government in Israeli history has done.

“We eliminated tens of thousands of terrorists and senior murderers. We have destroyed terrorist infrastructure,” he said, noting that the fighting would continue until the last hostage is returned to the Jewish state.

“As long as Hamas persists in refusing to release our hostages, the pressure we apply will become stronger and stronger. This includes capturing territories and other moves I will not elaborate on here,” he vowed.

“We are changing the face of the Middle East. We have dismantled large parts of the axis of evil,” added Netanyahu, in reference to recent Israel Defense Forces’ operations against Iran’s regional terrorist proxies.

Israeli political and military leaders are considering plans for a fresh ground campaign that could include a military occupation of the Strip for months or even longer, according to a recent Washington Post report.

On March 21, Defense Minister Israel Katz first threatened to annex parts of Gaza unless Hamas releases the remaining Israeli hostages.

If Hamas “continues to refuse to release the captives, I instructed the IDF to capture additional areas, evacuate the population and expand the security zone around Gaza for the protection of Israeli communities through a permanent hold of the area,” according to Katz’s statement.

Hamas refuses ceasefire deal

“As long as Hamas continues its refusal, it will lose more and more land to Israel,” the minister from Netanyahu’s ruling Likud Party concluded.

Katz also said the IDF will “intensify” its military campaign “through the expansion of the ground maneuver until the hostages are released and Hamas is defeated.”

U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff sought to extend the ceasefire in Gaza through the Passover and Ramadan periods, during which time Hamas would release 11 living hostages and half of the bodies it still holds. Israel endorsed Witkoff’s proposed outline; Hamas did not.

In response, the IDF resumed military activity against Hamas on March 18. The renewed Israeli military campaign has been officially named “Operation Strength and Sword.”