Israel will take control of all of Gaza as aid trucks prepare to enter - Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Monday that Israeli forces will “take control of the entire Gaza Strip,” as the military intensifies its operations in the territory.

“There is huge fighting going on, intense and huge, we are going to control all parts of Gaza,” Netanyahu said in a video message shared on his Telegram channel in which he pledged to achieve “complete victory” with both the release of the 58 hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza and the destruction of the Palestinian militant group. To succeed, we must act in a way that cannot be halted.”

His remarks came as Israel launched a broader military offensive and announced limited humanitarian aid would be allowed into Gaza to avert famine, which Netanyahu said was necessary for “diplomatic reasons.”

“We must not let Gaza’s population fall into famine—both for practical and diplomatic considerations,” he said, warning that even Israel’s closest allies could not tolerate “images of mass starvation.”

Netanyahu said Israel’s strongest international partners had warned, without naming specific countries: “There is one thing we cannot accept—images of mass hunger. If that happens, we cannot support you.”

To maintain international backing and advance its military goals, Israel would allow a “minimal” amount of aid into Gaza, he added, though he gave no timeline for its resumption.

The military issued evacuation orders on Monday for civilians in Khan Yunis and the nearby areas of Bani Suheila and Abasan in southern Gaza, warning of a major assault.

“The Israeli Defense Forces will launch an unprecedented attack to destroy the capabilities of terrorist organizations in this area,” said IDF Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee on Telegram. “You must evacuate immediately to the west, to the Mawasi area. Khan Yunis will now be considered an active combat zone.”

Facing growing international criticism, including from the United States, Israel is attempting to address the worsening humanitarian crisis. The country has been under pressure to ease its total blockade on Gaza, in place for over two months.

Netanyahu said a new aid distribution mechanism was being established to prevent supplies from falling into the hands of Hamas. The system involves Israeli-secured aid centers monitored by American contractors. “This takes time,” he acknowledged, stating that the first centers would become operational in the coming days, with the goal of creating a humanitarian zone within Gaza under Israeli control.

According to the U.N.- and NGO-supported Integrated Food Security Phase Classification report released this month, Gaza faces a “critical risk of famine,” with 22% of the population on the brink of a humanitarian disaster.

Last week, former U.S. President Donald Trump also commented on the crisis, acknowledging, “A lot of people are starving,” and adding, “we’re going to get that taken care of.”

Meanwhile, the Israeli military said on Monday that its air force struck 160 targets in Gaza over the past 24 hours as part of its expanded ground and air offensive. Rescue workers reported at least 22 deaths following the latest wave of strikes.