Israel’s new pretext to expand its occupation in Gaza

According to a report by Yedioth Ahronoth, citing Israeli officials, Tel Aviv plans to expand the areas under its control in Gaza under the guise of “punishing” the Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas.

These Israeli officials reportedly expect that once the deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump for the return of the bodies of captured Israeli soldiers expires, Washington will approve Israel’s plan to “punish Hamas.”

One of the main challenges Hamas faces in locating and returning the bodies of Israeli captives is the massive destruction across Gaza, which has left many bodies buried beneath the rubble.

Sources in Gaza said today that the Israeli army blocked the entry of equipment intended for recovering the bodies of captives and clearing debris. The Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s military wing, had planned to use the equipment to search for the remains of Hadar Goldin, an Israeli soldier captured by Hamas fighters during the 2014 war.

Goldin was taken prisoner amid clashes with the Qassam Brigades during Israel’s “Operation Protective Edge,” in the city of Rafah, southern Gaza.

Since the implementation of the ceasefire on October 10, it was expected that 600 trucks carrying humanitarian aid would enter Gaza daily. However, Israel has only permitted shipments of canned food and instant noodles, while blocking meat, poultry, and other essential food supplies.

In an act of blatant cruelty, Israeli authorities have reportedly told Gaza residents that they will be provided with meat and poultry in exchange for the return of Israeli soldiers’ bodies.

While Hamas’s military wing has already handed over the remains of 15 Israeli soldiers to the Red Cross — emphasizing that locating and retrieving bodies after two years of war and widespread devastation is a complex and time-consuming process — Israel continues to demand the return of the 13 remaining bodies.