Killing unarmed, devastated Palestinians: Netanyahu’s cowardly boasting of more killings ahead

With the connivance of the US, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, responding to the IDF’s unilateral attack on Palestinian citizens in Gaza that killed more than 400 people, including women and children, under the guise of targeting Hamas, claimed that it was the beginning of a long series of killings to come.

However, Netanyahu’s boast that more devastating strikes will follow, targeting Palestinians in Gaza who have returned to their land after a fragile ceasefire and are already seeking shelter in the war-ravaged territory, is seen as an act of cowardice for using advanced Israeli and US weaponry against a devastated and unarmed population.

The Israeli government has pledged to continue the attacks until all war objectives are met, including the destruction of Hamas and the release of all hostages held by the group.

The latest escalation has resulted in the highest single-day death toll since the early months of the war in 2023, with over 400 Palestinians reported killed in airstrikes and artillery bombardments. Israeli defence officials have warned that the conflict could extend for weeks or even months, reinforcing their stance that Hamas must recognise a shift in the rules of engagement. The military has also issued evacuation orders for northern and eastern Gaza, signalling a potential expansion of ground operations in the coming days.

Palestinian health authorities have confirmed hundreds of casualties, with more than 600 individuals injured in the latest round of strikes. Israeli officials have stated that the attacks were aimed at Hamas military commanders and political leaders, but reports indicate that women and children are also among the dead.

Witnesses have described overwhelmed hospitals, with doctors struggling to manage the influx of wounded civilians and bodies lining courtyards as mourning families seek to bury their dead.

In response to the renewed offensive, thousands of Gazans have been forced to flee, with humanitarian organisations warning of worsening conditions for an already vulnerable population. Aid officials have reported that people are physically and psychologically exhausted, with limited options for shelter as infrastructure continues to collapse under the ongoing bombardment.

The humanitarian crisis has been further exacerbated by Israel’s blockade of aid supplies and the severing of electricity connections, which were imposed earlier this month to pressure Hamas into releasing hostages.

The Israeli military has justified its actions by claiming that Hamas was planning new raids against Israeli civilians and soldiers while refusing to release the remaining hostages. Netanyahu’s office has stated that Hamas rejected proposals from the United States for an extension of the ceasefire, with Israel arguing that the group has consistently chosen violence over negotiation.

Hamas has countered that the hostage releases were part of a phased agreement reached in January, which included provisions for an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the release of all captives, and a permanent end to hostilities.

The situation has also sparked political turmoil within Israel, with Netanyahu facing backlash over his decision to dismiss the head of the Shin Bet internal security service. Critics have accused him of leveraging the war to consolidate power and secure the backing of far-right elements within his coalition government. Protests have erupted in Tel Aviv, with demonstrators condemning his actions and warning of an erosion of democratic norms.

The conflict, which began on 7 October 2023 with Hamas-led attacks on Israeli communities that left 1,200 dead and hundreds taken hostage, has devastated Gaza. Over 48,000 Palestinians have been killed, with entire neighbourhoods reduced to rubble.