On the night of the 3rd, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu delivered a video address stating that the recently released video of hostages by Palestinian Hamas was "shocking," proving that Hamas has no intention of reaching a ceasefire-for-hostage agreement. This has strengthened his resolve to "eliminate" Hamas.
According to Israeli media reports, the video released by Hamas shows two Israeli hostages appearing extremely weak and severely malnourished. In his speech, Netanyahu accused Hamas of attempting to sow division within Israel, saying he is now more determined to secure the release of the detainees, "eliminate" Hamas, and ensure that the Gaza Strip no longer poses a threat to Israel.
Israel's Haaretz newspaper reported that, earlier that day, a senior Israeli official who declined to be named disclosed that the Israel Defense Forces had submitted a phased operational plan to Chief of General Staff Zamir, aiming to further expand military operations in the Gaza Strip. This includes extending operations to "sensitive areas" and central refugee camps. The plan is to be submitted to Israel's Security Cabinet for discussion later.
A group representing the majority of hostage families in Israel issued a statement that night, fiercely criticizing Netanyahu's video speech as "selling illusions" and misleading the public into thinking that military pressure and heightened combat intensity alone could secure the release of the captives. The statement said that expanding the war would put the already critically endangered detainees in even greater danger.
In the past three days, Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad have successively released three videos, showing two hostages who were abducted by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and are still being held in Gaza.
The footage shows 21-year-old Blaslavsky, a dual citizen of Germany and Israel, and 24-year-old Israeli citizen David, both looking emaciated and malnourished.
The images of the two hostages have sparked fury in Israeli society.
Netanyahu has requested the International Committee of the Red Cross to help and provide assistance to hostages in the Gaza Strip.
The International Committee of the Red Cross issued a statement saying it was "shocked by these distressing images," and once again requested to be "granted access to the hostages."