IDF Chief Vows Hamas Will โPay the Priceโ as Israel Enters Pivotal Gaza Offensive
As Israel advances into a critical phase of its ongoing military campaign in Gazaโcodenamed “Operation Gideonโs Chariots”โIDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir declared on Tuesday that Hamas will face the consequences of its continued resistance.
โThis is not a war we initiated. It was forced upon us on the tragic day of October 7,โ said Zamir, referencing the 2023 Hamas-led attack that reignited the conflict. He laid out the operationโs key objectives: to bring back the hostages, dismantle Hamasโs infrastructure, and end its control over Gaza.
Zamir emphasized that the current military phase follows a pre-established strategy. โWe are now transitioning to the next level of operations. Hamasโs defiance comes at a priceโit will be met with the full intensity of our military might,โ he said. โTrue security demands a clear and decisive end to the threat across our border.โ
Acknowledging the severe human and material toll of the conflict, Zamir reaffirmed the IDFโs commitment to the long haul. โThis is a complex, multi-front war, and although the path is difficult, we remain focused on the end goalโa safer future.โ
Addressing Gazaโs civilians, he placed responsibility squarely on Hamas. โThe devastation you face is not our doing. Hamas initiated this war and has endangered its own people.โ
He also defended the militaryโs conduct amid scrutiny. โWe operate within the bounds of Israeli and international law. Any accusation suggesting otherwise is unfounded,โ Zamir asserted.
As the offensive escalates, the IDF reported a successful airstrike that killed Moataz Deeb, a senior Hamas commander responsible for drone and rocket operations. In recent days, over 100 militant targetsโincluding tunnels, weapons caches, and fightersโhave been hit. Ground forces from elite brigades such as the 401st, Givati, and 215th continue their advance into key northern neighborhoods of Gaza.
Israel Allows UN to Deliver 93 Aid Trucks into Gaza, Tightens Oversight
Israel has authorized the entry of 93 humanitarian aid trucks into Gaza through the Kerem Shalom Crossing, the Defense Ministry confirmed Tuesday, as part of an effort to balance military pressure on Hamas with urgent civilian needs.
The trucks, coordinated through the United Nations, carried vital supplies like flour, baby formula, medicine, and medical equipment. All shipments underwent comprehensive security checks to prevent Hamas from siphoning off aid for militant use, according to COGAT, the ministry body overseeing operations in the territories.
โThe IDF remains committed to enabling humanitarian support, as long as it does not empower the Hamas terrorist organization,โ read an official statement.
The aid shipments come under a tightly managed relief strategy aimed at avoiding famine while preventing aid from bolstering Hamas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu greenlit the deliveries to stabilize civilian conditions in Gaza ahead of wider military activity.
A larger aid framework, the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), is expected to begin distributing supplies directly to civilians by the end of the month. Designed to operate through secure zones and independent of Hamas, the program has Israelโs full support.
In the interim, Israel is continuing daily aid deliveries. โUntil the GHF is operational, weโre ensuring critical supplies make it through,โ the State of Israel posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday.
The United Nations confirmed it had received Israelโs approval for an expanded daily quota of aid trucksโup from nine the previous day to about 100. UN spokesperson Jens Laerke called the development a โnotable improvementโ in humanitarian access.
Despite the stepped-up aid, several Israeli politicians voiced strong opposition. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir labeled the move โa grave error,โ arguing it could extend the war and jeopardize hostage negotiations. Religious Zionism MK Moshe Solomon supported limited, direct-to-civilian aid but warned against any assistance that could indirectly benefit Hamas. Likudโs Moshe Passal took an even harder line, saying, โOnly after Hamas is eradicated should we begin discussing the regionโs recovery.โ
Israel Recalls Senior Negotiators from Qatar Amid Stalled Hostage Talks
Senior Israeli envoys involved in negotiations with Hamas in Qatar have been called back to Jerusalem for consultations, following a week of intense, yet ultimately inconclusive, diplomatic efforts, the Prime Ministerโs Office announced Tuesday night.
While technical-level negotiators will remain in Doha for the time being, the high-ranking members of the Israeli delegation are returning home. According to the statement, Israel had agreed to a new framework proposed by U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, but Hamas continues to resist the terms.
Talks in Qatar, conducted under multiple diplomatic umbrellas, had aimed at brokering a deal that includes a temporary ceasefire and the release of hostages. Under the proposed multi-phase plan, Hamas would free Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, with the potential for a broader agreement down the line.
This diplomatic push coincides with Israelโs recent military escalation in Gaza under Phase 1 of โOperation Gideonโs Chariots,โ targeting Hamas strongholds and military assets across the Strip.
The IDF reported conducting over 160 airstrikes in the last 24 hours, expanding its ground operations against Hamas infrastructure as negotiations faltered.
Earlier on Tuesday, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani confirmed the lack of progress, stating during the Qatar Economic Forum that the ceasefire discussions were effectively deadlocked. โThere are deep divisionsโthese talks are not moving forward,โ he said.
Although Israeli officials had already considered withdrawing the team from Doha earlier in the week due to stalled talks, the final decision to bring home the senior negotiators was only made Tuesday.
