Netanyahu pledges to escalate efforts in Israel-Gaza conflict

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that Israel will intensify its fight against Hamas in the coming days. He stated that his military campaign in Gaza is far from over and that he visited Gaza on Monday morning. This statement comes after the US secretary of state suggested that Israel should reduce the intensity of its strikes. The conflict began on October 7 when Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israeli communities. According to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, around 20,674 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli bombardments, with a majority being women and children. In addition, Hamas gunmen stormed across the border, resulting in the deaths of around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the capture of 240 hostages, with 132 still being held. Netanyahu has vowed to destroy Hamas and ensure the return of the hostages. He revealed that troops he met on his visit to Gaza urged him to continue fighting until the end. Reports suggest that Egypt has proposed a ceasefire plan that includes the phased release of all Israeli hostages and an undisclosed number of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. However, both Israel and Hamas have resisted calls for a ceasefire. In recent events, an Israeli air strike in the Al-Maghazi refugee camp resulted in the death of at least 70 people and the destruction of a densely populated residential block. The intense Israeli air strikes have also led to the closure of main roads, hindering the work of ambulances and rescue teams. The Israeli military, in response, stated that it is committed to international law and taking feasible steps to minimize harm to civilians, despite the challenges posed by Hamas operating within civilian areas.