Benjamin Netanyahu defies ex-army chiefs as he hints at new Gaza offensive despite calls to end war with Hamas
A security cabinet meeting was postponed last night amid mounting tensions about possible plans for a 'full occupation' of the battered Middle Eastern strip.
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Mr Netanyahu was said to be considering taking total control of the Palestinian-occupied territory to end the 22-month fight against Hamas.
Senior Israeli military officials warned it could endanger the lives of captured hostages and further isolate the nation on the world stage.
But local media reported Mr Netanyahu had already made up his mind, quoting an unnamed senior official saying: 'The die has been cast.
'We're going for the full conquest of the Gaza Strip – and defeating Hamas.'
Previously, In a fiery address Sunday night, the Mr Netanyahu declared that Israel would press forward with a "decisive military victory" to free the remaining hostages.
Netanyahu again vowed to crush Hamas, which he said was deliberately starving captives in scenes chillingly reminiscent of the Nazi death camps.
, he said: "You see them languishing in a dungeon, but the Hamas monsters surrounding them have thick, fleshy arms.
"They have everything they need to eat. They are starving them, just as the Nazis starved the Jews."
The footage — released by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad last week and approved for publication by the families — shows the hostages visibly emaciated, trembling, and close to collapse.
Starmer vows UK will recognise Palestine in weeks unless Israel ends crisis – but critics blast 'reward' for Hamas
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