Tel Aviv – Explosive statement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an interview with"Fox News": When asked whether Israel plans to fully control Gaza, he replied:"We plan to."

Netanyahu declared: "To ensure our security, we must remove Hamas from there and allow the population to liberate itself." The crucial point: Israel does not want to govern Gaza long-term, Netanyahu said. Power should be"transferred to a civilian government that neither belongs to Hamas nor advocates the destruction of Israel."

▶︎ Israel's goal is "to liberate us and the people of Gaza from the terrible terror of Hamas." Because, as Netanyahu said in a Fox interview,"Hamas is not only holding our hostages, but also two million Palestinians in Gaza hostage."

Hamas still holds 49 hostages in Gaza's terror tunnels, abducted by terrorists during the massacre on October 7. Seven of them are also German citizens.

The Israeli security cabinet will meet later this Thursday to discuss a possible expansion of military operations in the Gaza Strip.

If an expansion of the offensive is decided upon, it is likely to be met with criticism not only internationally but also within Israel, including from the families of the hostages held by Hamas. They fear for the lives of their loved ones if military operations are carried out in the areas where the hostages are believed to be held.