JERUSALEM/ISTANBUL

Israeli Chief of General Staff Eyal Zamir threatened on Thursday to expand the military offensive in the Gaza Strip if Israeli captives are not released.

During his field visit to the city of Rafah in southern Gaza, Zamir said that “We are continuing with the operational pressure and tightening the ring around Hamas as needed, and if we see no progress in the return of the hostages, we will expand our activities to an intense and even more significant move until we reach the defeat,” according to a statement issued by the Israeli army.

On Wednesday, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich threatened to bring down and withdraw from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government unless Gaza is fully occupied, a military administration is established, and US President Donald Trump's plan to transfer Palestinians from the Strip is implemented.

Since March 2, Israel has closed Gaza’s crossings, blocking essential supplies from entering the enclave despite multiple reports of famine in the war-devastated territory.

The Israeli army resumed its assault on Gaza on March 18, shattering a Jan. 19 ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement.

Israel has killed nearly 51,400 Palestinians in the enclave since October 2023, most of them women and children.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.