Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to continue striking Hamas targets in Gaza as negotiations for a renewed ceasefire and the release of more hostages proceed.
Israel resumed military operations against Hamas Monday after negotiations to extend the ceasefire broke down.
“From now on, negotiations will be conducted only under fire,” Netanyahu said in a Tuesday address, according to the Times of Israel, warning the new strikes were “only the beginning.”
He noted that Israel had not conducted military operations for two weeks even as it tried to continue the ceasefire and resumed attacks on Hamas after the terrorist group did not agree to any terms.
“In the past two weeks, Israel did not initiate any military action in the hope that Hamas would change course. Well, that didn’t happen. While Israel accepted the offer of President Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, Hamas flatly refused to do so,” Netanyahu said.
“This is why I authorized yesterday the renewal of military action against Hamas,” he added.
The United States blamed Hamas for the renewal of Israel’s military operations in Gaza, with National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes telling the Washington Examiner Tuesday that “Hamas could have released hostages to extend the ceasefire but instead chose refusal and war.”
HAMAS ‘CHOSE’ WAR AS ISRAEL RESTARTS MILITARY OPERATIONS, WHITE HOUSE SAYS
Before Israel resumed its military actions, there had been a ceasefire in the conflict since January, which resulted in the return of hostages to Israel and prisoners to Hamas. The first phase of the ceasefire ended on March 1.
The war in Gaza began after Hamas conducted terrorist attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. During the attacks, Hamas kidnapped hundreds of Israelis and killed about 1,200.
