Hamas not softening stance on hostage deal despite Gaza strikes, sources tell 'Post' Israel has ramped up its military response to Hamas in Gaza, with officials signaling a shift toward full control as hostage negotiations remain stalled.
After Israel launched airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, there was still no indication that Hamas was preparing to soften its stance on the issue of the hostage and ceasefire deal.
an official told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday: “There is no signal, no sign that Hamas is currently changing its position on the matter,”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a three-hour meeting with Defense Minister Israel Katz and senior security officials on Wednesday.
An official told The Post after: “It was decided to raise the level of response – and actions are expected to escalate. What we saw, with the entry of ground forces into the Netzarim Corridor, is just the beginning.”
Ministers clarified to The Post that Israel is focused on the goal of ending Hamas’s rule in Gaza.
Culture and Sport Minister Miki Zohar (Likud) said: 1. “Israel has decided to change its approach toward Hamas, 2. and what Hamas is experiencing from Israel is about to change with American backing. 3. There is a clear shift in the current equation,”
He said “Israel is seeking a resolution": 1. the return of all hostages, 2. the expulsion of Hamas, 3. and the disarmament of the organization, or, 4. in my opinion, full occupation and Israeli control over the Gaza Strip, 5. The consensus for continuing the fighting exists among all ministers.
