Israel PM threatens to seize Gaza territory unless hostages freed

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday warned Hamas that Israel would seize territory in Gaza if the fighters refused to release hostages still held in the Palestinian territory.

Israel resumed intense air strikes across the densely populated Palestinian territory last week, followed by ground operations, shattering the relative calm of a January ceasefire with Hamas.

Of the 251 hostages seized during Hamas's attack on October 7, 2023 which triggered the war, 58 are still held in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.

"The more Hamas persists in its refusal to release our hostages, the stronger the pressure we will exert," Netanyahu told parliament.

"I say this to my colleagues in the Knesset, and I say it to Hamas as well: This includes the seizure of territories, along with other measures I will not elaborate here."

His remarks came days after Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened to annex parts of Gaza unless Hamas freed the remaining Israeli hostages.

In a statement Friday, Katz said: "I ordered (the army) to seize more territory in Gaza... The more Hamas refuses to free the hostages, the more territory it will lose, which will be annexed by Israel".

The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said on Wednesday that at least 830 people have been killed in the Palestinian territory since Israel resumed large-scale strikes on March 18, including 38 in the last 24 hours.

The first phase of a ceasefire that took effect on January 19 saw Hamas release 33 Israeli and dual national hostages, including eight deceased, and Israel free around 1,800 Palestinian detainees.