Netanyahu hints at wider Gaza offensive despite rising calls to end war

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted at wider military action in war-torn Gaza on Tuesday (August 5), even as former Israeli army and intelligence chiefs called for an end to the nearly 22-month war.

The new pressure on Netanyahu came as Gaza's Health Ministry said the Palestinian death toll had surpassed 61,000.

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Mounting pressure

Health officials reported new deaths of hungry Palestinians seeking food at distribution points. As desperation mounts, the Israeli defence body coordinating aid announced a deal with local merchants to improve aid deliveries.

Among those speaking out were former leaders of Israel's Shin Bet internal security service, Mossad spy agency, and the military — and also former prime minister Ehud Barak.

In a video posted on social media this week, they said far-right members of the government are holding Israel "hostage" in prolonging the conflict.

Netanyahu's objectives in Gaza are "a fantasy", Yoram Cohen, former head of Shin Bet, said in the video. "If anyone imagines that we can reach every terrorist and every pit and every weapon, and in parallel bring our hostages home -- I think it is impossible," he said.

Tougher military action

Netanyahu convened his security cabinet to direct the military on the war's next stage, hinting that even tougher action was possible. However, the meeting wrapped up hours later without any announcements about Israel's plans.

US President Donald Trump, when asked by a reporter whether he supported the reoccupation of Gaza, said he was not aware of the "suggestion" but that "it is going to be pretty much up to Israel".

Netanyahu said his objectives include defeating Hamas, releasing all 50 remaining hostages, and ensuring Gaza never again threatens Israel after the Hamas-led 2023 attack sparked the war.

Netanyahu-army rift?

Israeli media reported disagreements between Netanyahu and the army chief, Lt Gen. Eyal Zamir, on the future course of action.

The reports, citing anonymous officials in Netanyahu's office, said the prime minister was pushing the army, which controls about three-quarters of Gaza, to conquer the entire territory — a step that could endanger hostages, deepen the humanitarian crisis, and further isolate Israel internationally.

Zamir reportedly opposes this step and could step down or be pushed out if it is approved. Israeli officials did not respond to requests for comment on the reports.

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Aid-seekers killed

Health officials in Gaza said Israeli forces on Tuesday morning opened fire on Palestinians seeking aid in what they described as targeted attacks in central and southern Gaza, killing at least 45 people.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military, which has previously stated that in similar incidents involving aid distribution, its forces only fired warning shots at individuals who approached them.

The dead include at least 26 people killed in the Morag Corridor, an Israeli military zone where looters and desperate crowds gathered around UN aid convoys.

Another six people were killed in Teina, near a road leading to a facility operated by the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), run by an American contractor.

Morgue records reveal details

Morgue records at the nearby Nasser Hospital, which received the bodies, provided details about the deaths and their locations.

The hospital operates under the Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between militants and civilians but reports that roughly half of those killed in the war have been women and children. The ministry functions under the Hamas-led government.

The United Nations and other international organisations regard it as the most reliable source of casualty data.

Aid looted

Sami Arafat, a father of seven, described the chaos in the Morag Corridor early Tuesday, saying crowds rushed toward a convoy of UN aid trucks as Israeli forces opened fire.

"There are no buildings to shelter us from the shooting," he said. "The area is all rubble," he added.

He said looters carrying knives climbed aboard the trucks first, tearing into aid boxes and taking sugar — which could be resold at the market — while leaving behind less expensive rice.

Elsewhere in central Gaza, Al-Awda Hospital reported receiving the bodies of six Palestinians who were killed when Israeli troops allegedly targeted crowds near another GHF aid distribution site.

The GHF said there were no incidents at its sites on Tuesday, adding that most recent violence has been linked to UN aid deliveries.

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Disputed death toll

Several hundred Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since May while heading towards food distribution sites, airdropped parcels, and aid convoys, according to witnesses, local health officials, and the UN human rights office.

The Israeli military maintains that it has only fired warning shots and disputes the reported death toll.

COGAT, the Israeli defence body responsible for coordinating aid, announced on social media that there will be a "gradual and controlled renewal of the entry of goods through the private sector in Gaza."

It added that a limited number of local merchants have been approved to participate in the plan.

Carrying food and bodies

Mohammed Qassas from Khan Younis said his young children are so hungry that he is forced to storm aid trucks, which rarely reach warehouses anymore due to desperate and hungry crowds stopping them.

"How am I supposed to feed them? No one has mercy," he said on Monday. "If we fight, we get the food. If we do not fight, we do not get anything."

He added that it has become routine to see men returning from aid-seeking trips carrying both sacks of flour and the bodies of those killed.

Inadequate aid

Israel's blockade and military offensive have made the safe delivery of aid nearly impossible, pushing Gaza further towards famine. Aid organisations say Israel’s recent steps to allow more aid into the territory remain inadequate.

Families of Israeli hostages held in Gaza have also voiced concern, fearing that starvation may affect their loved ones as well. Many place the blame on Hamas.

As international concern grows, several countries have conducted airdrops of aid over Gaza. However, the UN and humanitarian organisations call such practicea as costly, risky for civilians, and far less effective than truck-based deliveries.

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'Entire world is watching'

Palestinians gather daily for funeral prayers. "We are unarmed people who cannot endure this," shouted Maryam Abu Hatab in the yard of Nasser hospital.

Ekram Nasr said her son was shot dead while seeking aid near the Morag Corridor. "I had to go alone to carry my son," she said, tears in her eyes.

"I collected the remains of my son like the meat of dogs from the streets." "The entire world is watching," she added.

"They are watching our patience, our strength and our faith in God. But we no longer have the power to endure," she noted.

(With inputs from agencies)