Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Monday that his government is proceeding with the decision to occupy Gaza, despite local warnings about the danger to the lives of prisoners and international condemnation of the move that would exacerbate the suffering of Palestinians. Netanyahu, during a meeting with U.S. Senator Jonny Ernst in his West Jerusalem office, said that the decision of the ministerial committee (the ‘kabinett’) was decisive and that Israel will work resolutely and forcefully to recover all its captives and eliminate Hamas. He emphasized that these two tasks are interconnected without providing further details. On August 8, the ‘kabinett’ approved Netanyahu’s plan for a gradual occupation of the entire Palestinian sector, starting with the city of Gaza by displacing its approximately one million residents, then surrounding it and conducting incursions into neighborhoods, followed by moving towards refugee camps in the central sector.

On Wednesday, Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz approved the plan to occupy and attack Gaza City in a military operation named ‘Gideon’s Vehicles 2′, despite mediators’ efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement. Meanwhile, Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir warned Netanyahu on Sunday that the occupation of Gaza City could pose a severe risk to the lives of the detainees and urged him to accept the current prisoner exchange deal proposed and accepted by Hamas. Ahead of a large protest called by the Israeli Prisoners’ Families Committee on Tuesday demanding an immediate prisoner exchange and an end to the war, the family of captive soldier Nimrod Cohen in Gaza called on the Israeli public to join the demonstrations.

Cohen’s mother, Vicky Cohen, said in a statement: ‘This time we will do it differently; this time we will not take to the streets after the deal is thwarted, but to ensure it is not thwarted again.’ She urged Israelis to stand with them in the next steps to collectively show strength to elected officials. Nimrod’s brother, Yotam, criticized Netanyahu’s government for ignoring Hamas’s positive response, stating that every passing day condemns Nimrod to torture and death. About a week ago, Hamas agreed to a mediators’ proposal for a partial ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal, but Israel has yet to respond, despite the terms closely matching previous Israeli approvals.

Instead, Netanyahu pushes for the occupation of Gaza City despite international warnings, claiming to free prisoners and defeat Hamas, amid significant skepticism from opponents and former officials and the Israeli army’s confirmation that the operation endangers prisoners’ lives. Israel estimates it has 50 prisoners held by Hamas, including 20 alive, while more than 10,800 Palestinians are detained in Israeli prisons amid human rights accusations of torture and medical neglect.