Palestinian resistance group Hamas has accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose extremist regime is debating Gaza reoccupation plan, of sacrificing the Israeli captives held in the besieged enclave.
"Netanyahu's plans to escalate the aggression confirm beyond any doubt his desire to get rid of the captives and sacrifice them in pursuit of his personal interests and extremist ideological agenda," Hamas said in a statement on Thursday.
The statement was issued as Netanyahu convened his security cabinet to vote on an expansion of genocide in Gaza. Israeli media said it could entail a full military occupation of the Palestinian territory.
The public broadcaster KAN, citing unnamed official sources, said Netanyahu proposed what was described as a "light" and "gradual" strategy during one of the most sensitive meetings since the Gaza genocide began.
According to the report, the plan calls for Israeli occupational forces to advance into areas they have not previously invaded, including what it describes as Hamas training camps in central Gaza and Gaza City itself — despite warnings from the army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir.
Earlier on Thursday US network Fox News aired an interview with Netanyahu in which he said that Israel intends to take control of all of Gaza but not "keep it" or "govern it."
"In response to the remarks made by war criminal... Benjamin Netanyahu, in his interview with Fox News... What he is planning is a continuation of a policy of genocide and forced displacement, through the perpetration of further crimes against our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip," Hamas said.
'Arabs will only support what Palestinians agree on'
A Jordanian official meanwhile told Reuters news agency that Arabs "will only support what Palestinians agree and decide on" after Netanyahu said Israel wanted to hand over Gaza to Arab forces that would govern it.
"Security in Gaza must be done through legitimate Palestinian institutions," the source said.
Netanyahu did not elaborate on the governance arrangements or which Arab countries could be involved.
"Arabs will not be agreeing to Netanyahu's policies nor clean his mess," the Jordanian official said in the first reaction by a main Arab neighbour to Netanyahu's comments.
Since October 2023, Israel's genocide in Gaza has resulted in a significant number of Palestinian casualties. Reports from Palestinian officials indicate that over 61,000 Palestinians have been killed, predominantly women and children, by Israel.
It is feared that approximately 11,000 Palestinians are buried under the rubble of destroyed homes, according to Palestine's official WAFA news agency.
Experts suggest the true death toll in Gaza may far exceed official reports, potentially reaching approximately 200,000.
Of the 251 captives taken by Hamas in 2023, 49 remain in Gaza, with 27 presumed dead by the military. Hamas says many captives were killed in Israeli strikes.
Israel has abducted and jailed some 11,000 Palestinians.
