Prime Minister Netanyahu giving a speech about seizing Gaza land if Hamas does not return the hostages, March 26 (Source: Knesset TV video snippet)
Prime Minister Netanyahu in the Knesset March 26th (Video Snippet)

Netanyahu Threatens Gaza Land Seizure as Hamas Faces Uprising

Details
The Judean Staff
National

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a stark warning to Hamas: release the remaining Israeli hostages or face the permanent loss of Gaza territory. Speaking in a fiery address to the Knesset, Netanyahu hinted at dramatic escalations, declaring, “The more Hamas persists in its refusal to release our hostages, the stronger the pressure we will exert — including the seizure of territory and additional measures I will not detail here.”

The warning comes as Israel ramps up military operations following the collapse of a brief ceasefire, which Hamas exploited for propaganda while refusing to finalize a deal for the return of hostages. Now, with the war reignited, Israel is making it clear: time is running out for Hamas.

Escalating Tensions and Renewed Rocket Fire

On Wednesday, the fragile calm shattered again as terrorists in Gaza fired two rockets at Israel. One was intercepted by the Iron Dome; the second landed near the border. While no injuries were reported, the attack served as yet another reminder that Hamas is not interested in peace — only in prolonging the suffering of Gazans and Israelis alike.

This renewed aggression follows a significant internal development: an unprecedented anti-Hamas uprising in northern Gaza. Hundreds of Palestinians, risking brutal retaliation from Hamas’ internal security forces, took to the streets chanting “Hamas out” and “Hamas are terrorists.” This is believed to be the largest protest against the Islamist terror group since the war began.

“The people are tired,” said one protester, identified only as Majdi. “If Hamas leaving power in Gaza is the solution, why doesn’t Hamas step aside to save the people?”

Mounting Palestinian Discontent and a Shattered Gaza

Since resuming combat operations on March 18, the IDF has intensified its campaign to dismantle Hamas’ terrorist infrastructure. According to the Hamas-run health ministry — a source known for inflated and unverifiable statistics — more than 800 people have been killed in Gaza during the renewed strikes.

But within Gaza, the ground is shifting beneath Hamas' feet. The militant group, which seized control of the Strip in a bloody 2007 coup, now finds itself the target of popular rage. No elections have been held in the territory for nearly two decades. The people of Gaza, hostages in their own land, are beginning to voice what they’ve long been forbidden to say: Hamas is the problem.

In a statement reeking of desperation, Hamas warned Israel that any attempt to retrieve hostages by force would result in their deaths, claiming, “Every time the occupation attempts to retrieve its captives by force, it ends up bringing them back in coffins.” The group then contradicted itself by insisting it is “doing everything possible” to protect the hostages — despite their own rockets and the IDF’s intelligence revealing multiple captives killed in Hamas custody.

A War Sparked by Terror

The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an unprovoked massacre of Israeli civilians. Armed terrorists stormed across the border, murdering 1,218 people — the majority of them civilians — and abducting 251 others. Of those kidnapped, 58 are still believed to be held in Gaza, including 34 the IDF now says are dead.

In the aftermath, Israel launched a relentless counteroffensive targeting Hamas leadership, weapons stockpiles, and tunnel networks embedded under civilian infrastructure — a cynical tactic long used by the terror group to shield itself behind innocents.

The Cost of Stalemate

Despite a temporary truce in January, negotiations have stalled. Israel has remained committed to securing the release of all its citizens, while Hamas has demanded an end to the war and a permanent ceasefire — a move seen by Israeli officials as an attempt to escape defeat and retain power.

Defense Minister Israel Katz reinforced Netanyahu’s message earlier this week, stating: “The more Hamas refuses to free the hostages, the more territory it will lose, which will be annexed by Israel.”

The message is unambiguous: Hamas is on borrowed time. The international community must now decide — will it continue to coddle a terrorist regime holding its own people hostage, or will it finally recognize that true liberation for Gaza can only begin after Hamas is gone?

As the IDF advances and voices of dissent grow louder inside Gaza, the myth of Hamas’ invincibility is crumbling. Israel is determined to bring its hostages home — and Hamas may soon find itself not just defeated militarily, but rejected by the very people it claims to protect.

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