Israel may annex parts of the Gaza Strip to increase pressure on Hamas, Israeli Minister and National Security Council member Zeev Elkin said on Wednesday. The proposal would be a serious blow to Palestinian hopes of establishing their own state on territories occupied by Israel, reports "Reuters"
"The most painful thing for our enemy is the loss of land," Elkin told Israeli public television Kan. "A clear message to Hamas that if it plays with us, it will lose territory it will never regain will be a powerful tool for pressure."
His comments come a day after Britain said it would recognize a Palestinian state in September unless Israel takes steps to ease the suffering in Gaza and reach a truce with Hamas. France has already said it will do the same, and a new declaration by Saudi Arabia, backed by Egypt, Qatar and the Arab League, calls for the transfer of power in Gaza to the Palestinian Authority and the disarmament of Hamas.
But Israel says the steps "reward" the Hamas terrorist attack of October 7, 2023, in which some 1,200 people were killed and 251 were kidnapped. Since then, the Israeli offensive has killed more than 60,000 people in Gaza, according to the local health ministry.
The families of Israeli hostages in Gaza have called on the international community not to recognize a Palestinian state until their loved ones are released. In a statement, the families' forum called such recognition "a dangerous moral and political failure that legitimizes horrific war crimes."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the British decision "rewards Hamas' monstrous terrorism." Israel also rejects the possibility of the Palestinian Authority running Gaza, and Hamas, in turn, refuses to hand over its weapons.
Netanyahu's cabinet includes far-right ministers who openly call for the annexation of all Palestinian territories. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Tuesday that the rebuilding of Jewish settlements in Gaza is "closer than ever", calling the area "an integral part of the Land of Israel".
International pressure on Israel is also growing over a worsening humanitarian crisis. A global hunger monitor has warned of a starvation scenario. On Wednesday alone, health authorities in Gaza reported seven more deaths from malnutrition, including a two-year-old girl who died from a lack of specialized milk.
The total number of victims of hunger and malnutrition has reached 154 since the start of the war, including 89 children, most of them in recent weeks.
The Israeli army announced new measures to facilitate food deliveries to Gaza, including daily "humanitarian breaks" in certain areas. The UN, however, says the aid is "still far from what is needed".
Negotiations for a ceasefire and the release of hostages are at a standstill. Elkin said Israel is considering giving Hamas an ultimatum before expanding its military action.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar and France are pushing for a two-state solution. The Israeli government, however, remains adamant: control of security must remain in Israeli hands.