The Israeli military has launched an intense wave of strikes on Gaza City, using fighter jets, artillery, and drones. According to reports from the enclave, 37 air and ground strikes hit within just 20 minutes, shaking the city with massive explosions that were heard as far as central Israel.
Social media videos show the sky glowing orange from the bombardment, while residents in the northwestern parts of Gaza are fleeing in large numbers amid fears of a wider escalation.
But the military offensive has also ignited a storm inside Israel. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum issued a dramatic appeal, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of sacrificing the hostages still held in Gaza.
“This is the 710th night in Gaza, and it could be the last night for the hostages barely surviving,” the group said in a statement. “It could also be the last night in which it is possible to find and return those killed for a dignified burial. The prime minister is consciously choosing to sacrifice them on the altar of political considerations.”
The families stressed that Netanyahu ignored advice from the Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, who reportedly warned against launching this latest operation. For them, the government’s priority has shifted away from saving lives to preserving political survival.
The latest assault on Gaza highlights not only the scale of Israel’s military power but also the growing political rift within the country. Militarily, Israel appears determined to tighten pressure on Hamas with combined air and artillery strikes, signaling a campaign aimed at reshaping control on the ground. Yet, this escalation poses a direct risk to the survival of hostages—an issue at the very heart of Israel’s national trauma.
Politically, Netanyahu faces a difficult balance. On one hand, he seeks to project strength by intensifying military operations; on the other, he is accused by families of hostages of neglecting their lives for political calculations. This clash exposes a deeper moral dilemma within Israel: whether to prioritize defeating Hamas militarily or securing the safe return of its citizens.
The fact that families are openly accusing the prime minister of abandonment shows how internal pressure is mounting. As the bombardments intensify, the hostage crisis risks becoming not just a humanitarian disaster but also a political breaking point for Netanyahu’s government.