Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir (pictured) warned on Thursday that the military is preparing to expand operations in Gaza if a hostage deal is not reached soon.
"We are continuing with the operational pressure and tightening the ring around Hamas as needed, and if we see no progress in the return of the hostages, we will expand our activities to an intense and even more significant move, until we reach the defeat [of Hamas]," Zamir vowed during a field tour in Rafah.
He accused Hamas of being responsible for both the ongoing conflict and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, saying that the group continues to hold the hostages "cruelly." Earlier today, the IDF admitted to accidentally killing a United Nations staff member last month.
