Netanyahu Defends Broader Gaza Assault as Opposition Mounts/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced a military offensive in Gaza far wider than originally disclosed, targeting not only Gaza City but central camps and Muwasi. The move comes amid international condemnation and mounting domestic concerns over the 22-month war’s toll. Heavy bombardments, rising civilian deaths, and a growing humanitarian crisis have intensified scrutiny on Israel’s military strategy.
Netanyahu Gaza Offensive Quick Looks
- Wider Scope: Netanyahu reveals operation will extend beyond Gaza City to include central refugee camps and Muwasi.
- Casualties: At least 31 Palestinians reportedly killed while seeking aid; airstrike kills Al Jazeera journalists.
- International Reaction: UN Security Council emergency meeting; Germany halts some arms exports; U.S. defends Israel.
- Hunger Crisis: Child deaths from malnutrition reach 100; overall hunger toll rises past 200.
- Hamas Response: Group calls Netanyahu’s statements “blatant lies” and accuses Israel of deliberate civilian targeting.
Netanyahu Defends Broader Gaza Assault as Opposition Mounts
Deep Look
JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday defended an expanded military campaign in Gaza, revealing that the operation will target areas far beyond the initially announced assault on Gaza City. Facing growing condemnation both at home and abroad, Netanyahu insisted that Israel “has no choice but to finish the job and complete the defeat of Hamas.”
Netanyahu told reporters the Security Cabinet had last week approved dismantling Hamas strongholds not only in Gaza City but also in the crowded “central camps” and in Muwasi. The United Nations estimates those camps shelter more than half a million displaced Palestinians. Until Sunday, these areas were absent from Israel’s public announcements about the operation, though political allies had pressed Netanyahu to go further.
While the prime minister pledged “safe zones” for civilians, human rights groups noted that such zones have been bombed in past phases of the war. Late Sunday, heavy bombardment struck Gaza City. Shortly before midnight, broadcaster Al Jazeera reported that correspondent Anas al-Sharif was killed alongside three other journalists and a driver in a strike near Shifa Hospital. Israel’s military admitted responsibility, accusing al-Sharif of being a Hamas operative — an allegation he and Al Jazeera had denied for months.
Coordination with the U.S. and International Backlash
Netanyahu’s office confirmed that he had briefed U.S. President Donald Trump on the expanded offensive, thanking him for “steadfast support.” Addressing foreign media, Netanyahu rejected claims that Israel’s tactics amounted to starvation or collective punishment in Gaza.
“Our goal is not to occupy Gaza,” he said, “our goal is to free Gaza.”
He outlined a vision of a demilitarized Gaza under Israeli “overriding security control” but administered by a non-Israeli civilian body. Netanyahu further claimed there was “no hunger” in Gaza, only shortages, despite widespread reports from aid groups and UN officials warning of famine-like conditions. He also said he had instructed the military to allow more foreign journalists into the territory — a notable shift after nearly two years of near-total media exclusion.
Hamas issued a swift rebuttal, labeling Netanyahu’s comments “blatant lies” and accusing Israel of systematic civilian targeting.
Security Council Divisions
At an emergency UN Security Council meeting, the U.S. defended Israel’s right to act for its security and dismissed accusations of genocide. With its veto power, Washington can block punitive measures against Israel. Other council members, including China and Russia, condemned the military escalation, citing unacceptable collective punishment and warning against further destabilization.
Ramesh Rajasingham of the UN humanitarian office told the council: “This is no longer a looming hunger crisis; this is starvation… Humanitarian conditions are beyond horrific.”
Meanwhile, Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed that Berlin would suspend export licenses for military goods that could be used in Gaza, though he stressed that Germany’s friendship with Israel remained unchanged. Netanyahu criticized the decision as bowing to “international pressure.”
Aid-Seeker Casualties and Hunger Toll
Hospitals and witnesses reported at least 31 Palestinian deaths on Sunday linked to aid distribution points. Testimonies from survivors in the Israeli-controlled Morag and Netzarim corridors and near the Teina area described gunfire aimed at civilians waiting for food or approaching aid convoys.
In the Morag corridor, Nasser Hospital reported 15 killed, while six were killed near the Zikim crossing in the north. Additional fatalities occurred in Khan Younis and Rafah near Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) sites, which Israel supports as an alternative to UN operations. GHF denied any incidents near its facilities that day.
The humanitarian toll continues to mount. Gaza’s Health Ministry confirmed that two more children died Saturday from malnutrition-related causes, bringing the child hunger death toll to 100 since the war began. At least 117 adults have also died from starvation-related conditions since June.
The ministry’s overall war death toll now stands at 61,400 Palestinians, roughly half of them women and children. While Israel disputes these figures, it has not provided its own.
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