Israel’s prime minister provided more details about his controversial plans for military escalation in Gaza at a recent news conference with international media, despite the UN Security Council’s condemnation and their emergency session urging him to reconsider.
Benjamin Netanyahu discussed a “short timeline” for establishing “safe zones” for the approximately one million people expected to be displaced from Gaza City.
He also pledged to capture and dismantle Hamas’s remaining strongholds, particularly in central refugee camps and along Gaza’s southwestern coast in al Mawasi.
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Rare aerial footage reveals the scale of destruction in Gaza
This plan, according to Netanyahu, is essential to destroy Hamas, which he accuses of oppressing Gazans, stealing their resources, and shooting them when they try to seek safety.
Al Mawasi is already a humanitarian zone with many displaced persons living under challenging conditions, mostly in makeshift tents.
Targeting Hamas members amid those residents raises severe concerns about civilian casualties. Where would those unable to evacuate to al Mawasi go?
Netanyahu intends to establish more aid distribution sites through the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) and increase food supply in Gaza.
He denies claims of forced starvation, asserting photos of emaciated children are ‘fake news’, and blames the media for misrepresenting conditions in Gaza.
“The only people being starved in Gaza are our hostages,” Netanyahu claimed.
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