The Israel Defense Forces warned of a “massive offensive” against Hamas and instructed Palestinians living at the edges of the Gaza Strip to relocate.
By Pesach Benson, TPS
Families of hostages held in Gaza were split on Tuesday following Israel’s renewed airstrikes in the coastal enclave, with some condemning the attacks while others expressed support for intensified action against Hamas. The fighting ends a two-month ceasefire.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum issued a strongly worded statement criticizing the Israeli government’s decision to resume fighting.
“The claim that the war is being renewed for the release of the hostages is a complete deception – military pressure endangers the hostages and soldiers,” the forum said. “We must return to the ceasefire.”
Addressing Israeli leaders, the group accused the government of walking away from negotiations that could have secured the hostages’ release. “Why aren’t you fighting in the negotiating room? Why did you pull out of the deal that could have brought everyone home?” the statement asked.
The group also called on U.S. President Donald Trump to intervene, urging him “to release all the hostages.”
“The greatest fear of the families, the hostages, and the citizens of Israel has come true – the Israeli government has chosen to give up on the hostages,” the forum stated.
Meanwhile, the Tikva Forum backed the renewed military campaign as a necessary step to force Hamas into a deal.
“The past few weeks have proven what we have been saying all along – Hamas will never return all the abductees voluntarily,” the Forum said.
“Only massive military pressure, a complete siege that includes a power and water cut, and the occupation of territories that will lead to the collapse of Hamas, will lead it to beg for a ceasefire and a deal that will return all the abductees together, in one fell swoop.”
Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces warned of a “massive offensive” against Hamas and instructed Palestinians living at the edges of the Gaza Strip to relocate.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the renewed fighting “follows Hamas’s repeated refusal to release our hostages, as well as its rejection of all of the proposals it has received from US Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff and from the mediators.”
Hamas insisted on the original ceasefire terms, which called for Israel’s full withdrawal from Gaza and a permanent end to the war in exchange for the remaining hostages.
However, Netanyahu has repeatedly vowed to continue operations until Hamas is dismantled. Talks over phase two of the agreement, set to begin February 3, never took place.
Despite this, the ceasefire held for weeks as mediators sought new terms. Last week, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff proposed extending phase one of the ceasefire in exchange for the release of five hostages.
However, Witkoff dismissed Hamas’s response to the proposal as unacceptable, warning of consequences if the group did not reconsider.
At least 1,180 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 59 remaining hostages, 36 are believed to be dead.
