The Israel Defense Forces stand ready to broaden their operations inside the Gaza Strip if Hamas continues to refuse the release of Israeli hostages, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir declared in a video address on Tuesday.
His message followed an on-the-ground assessment and military tour in Gaza as part of Israel’s latest large-scale offensive, named “Gideon’s Chariots.” The campaign aims to deal a powerful blow to Hamas, capture strategic territory, and push the Palestinian population from northern Gaza toward the south.
This latest military escalation comes as ceasefire and hostage negotiations resume in Qatar. The talks restarted after the recent freeing of Edan Alexander, a dual American-Israeli hostage.
Israeli leaders had earlier indicated they would proceed with this offensive if the negotiations yielded no tangible results after President Donald Trump’s visit to the region concluded. Though initial reports suggested promising progress, discussions appear to have stalled in the past few days.
Zamir made it clear: “Hamas will pay a price for its refusal” to release the hostages.
“It will face intense firepower,” he said. “We will expand the ground maneuver, conquer additional territory, clear and destroy the terror infrastructure until its defeat.”
“Hamas only has one option, and that is to release our hostages,” Zamir continued, while also saying that if an agreement is reached, “the IDF will know how to adjust its activity accordingly.”
“Our objectives are clear: the return of the hostages to their homes, the defeat of Hamas and the dismantling of its rule,” he emphasized. “We are defending ourselves, and for that we must attack. We cannot defend ourselves only on the defense, without clearly removing the threat from the other side of the border.”
Throughout his remarks, Zamir emphasized that Israel did not initiate this conflict. He referred to the brutal October 7, 2023, assault by Hamas, during which the terror group infiltrated Israel and launched a devastating massacre.
“This was not a military assault, but a horrifying crime against innocent civilians, an act of terror against the State of Israel and the Jewish people,” he said, noting that approximately 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage, with 58 still held captive.
“Since that dreadful day, the IDF has acted with force and determination in a multi-front campaign against enemies whose goal is to destroy us,” said Zamir.
Addressing the civilian population of Gaza directly, he said: “We are not the ones who brought this destruction upon you.”
“We did not start the war. We did not rob you of food, shelter, or money. We are not the ones hiding in hospitals or schools. We are not the ones staying in luxury hotels while you live in hardship,” he said.
“This is your leadership, those who are holding our hostages. Hamas is responsible for starting the war. It is responsible for the dire situation of the population. It destroyed, and it will not be the one to rebuild.”
According to Israeli authorities, 58 hostages remain in Gaza. Fifty-seven of them were kidnapped during the October 7 assault.
Among them, at least 35 are confirmed dead, while 20 are believed to still be alive. Israeli officials say they are deeply worried about the condition of the remaining three captives.
Zamir also condemned statements made earlier in the day by Yair Golan, chairman of The Democrats party, who accused the government of enabling the military to “kill babies as a hobby” and warned that Israel risks becoming “a pariah state” unless it “returns to acting like a sane country.”
Rejecting those claims, Zamir responded that the army “operates at all times in accordance with the IDF’s values, the law and international law, while uncompromisingly safeguarding the security of the State of Israel and its citizens.”
“Any statement that casts doubt on the integrity of our actions and the morality of our fighters is baseless.”
Israel’s “highest moral and ethical duty” is to defend its citizens “against an immoral enemy, among the cruelest in human history,” the chief of staff said.
He ended with a call to the public to rally around the military and stand behind its soldiers.
“Together we will fight. Together we will prevail,” he vowed. “Our actions will speak for themselves.”
{Matzav.com}21