Netanyahu defends planned military offensive in Gaza
Netanyahu said that "our goal is not to occupy Gaza, our goal is to free Gaza." He is also pushing back against what he calls a "global campaign of lies" as condemnation of the plan grows both inside and outside Israel. He said there is a "fairly short timetable" in mind for next steps in Gaza. The goals there, he said, include demilitarizing Gaza, the Israeli military having "overriding security control" there and a non-Israeli civilian administration in charge.
The prime minister also said he had directed Israel's military in recent days to "bring in more foreign journalists" – which would be a striking development as they have not been allowed into Gaza beyond military embeds.
Netanyahu again blamed many of Gaza's problems on the Hamas militant group, including civilian deaths, destruction and shortages of aid.
At least 26 Palestinians were killed while seeking aid in the Gaza Strip, hospitals and witnesses said, as families of Israeli hostages called for a general strike to protest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plans to expand military operations in the territory.
Hospital officials said they received bodies from areas where Palestinians were seeking aid – either along food convoy routes or near privately run aid distribution points across Gaza. The dead include 10 who were killed while waiting for aid trucks close to the newly built Morag corridor which separates the southern cities of Rafah and Khan Younis, said Nasser hospital.
A further six people were killed while waiting for aid in northern Gaza near the Zikim crossing, according to the Gaza Health Ministry and the Shifa hospital in Gaza City which received the casualties.
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