By: Fern Sidman

The Prime Minister’s Office announced Wednesday evening that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed the Israel Defense Forces to accelerate its operational schedule for the next phase of fighting in Gaza City. According to a report that appeared on Israel National News (INN), Netanyahu directed the military to shorten its timelines for both seizing Hamas’ last strongholds and ensuring the complete defeat of the terrorist organization.

In a formal statement, Netanyahu emphasized his resolve, declaring: “I have instructed the army to shorten the timelines for seizing the last terror strongholds and for the defeat of Hamas.” His remarks, cited by INN, stress the urgency Israel’s leadership is placing on achieving decisive battlefield results in Gaza’s largest city, which has long been considered a bastion of Hamas power.

The Prime Minister’s Office further added that Netanyahu expressed “great appreciation for the reservist fighters who have been mobilized and their families, and all IDF soldiers.” As reported by INN, Netanyahu emphasized that the campaign is being fought not only by the regular forces but also by tens of thousands of reservists who have put aside civilian life to join the fight. “Together we will win,” the statement concluded, a message of unity that reflects the government’s determination to maintain public confidence in the war effort.

Military officials told reporters that the IDF’s formal operational plans for the capture of Gaza City will be presented to Netanyahu on Thursday. According to the information provided in the Israel National News report, these plans are expected to detail the final stages of dismantling Hamas’ urban command and control centers, which Israeli intelligence assesses as the terrorist group’s last significant footholds inside the Strip.

The directive to accelerate the timetable is being interpreted as a signal that Netanyahu and the security establishment seek to consolidate their gains and move swiftly to dismantle Hamas’ remaining positions before they can regroup or adapt. The INN report highlighted that this reflects a broader strategy of denying Hamas breathing space and avoiding drawn-out attritional warfare in densely populated urban terrain.

Alongside the military preparations, the political and diplomatic track remains fraught with uncertainty. As reported by Israel National News, Kan 11 News cited a diplomatic source confirming that Israel currently has no plans to dispatch a delegation to resume negotiations over a potential hostage release arrangement.

Palestinian Arab sources claimed that Hamas had agreed to a framework proposed by international mediators, allegedly based on the outline put forward by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. However, Israeli officials quickly dismissed these assertions. According to the information contained in the INN report, Jerusalem’s position is that the version Hamas claims to have accepted deviates sharply from Witkoff’s original proposal and contains terms Israel considers unacceptable.

The combination of a military acceleration order and stalled diplomatic contacts underscores the dual pressures facing the Israeli leadership. On the one hand, Netanyahu and the IDF are determined to achieve battlefield results that conclusively dismantle Hamas’ presence in Gaza City. On the other hand, Israel remains wary of being drawn into hostage negotiations that could dilute its military leverage or embolden Hamas with concessions.

As Israel National News has consistently noted, Netanyahu has sought to project both military decisiveness and political steadfastness. By publicly calling for shortened timelines in Gaza City, the Prime Minister is signaling to the Israeli public, international observers, and Hamas itself that Israel intends to move toward a decisive conclusion to the campaign, irrespective of the difficulties in the negotiating arena.

The IDF’s forthcoming plans for the capture of Gaza City, coupled with Netanyahu’s directive to accelerate operations, mark a pivotal moment in Israel’s campaign against Hamas. As reported by Israel National News, the government’s strategy is clear: maintain unrelenting pressure on Hamas, dismantle its last strongholds, and resist the temptation to accept unfavorable compromises in hostage talks.

With reservists mobilized, regular forces engaged, and international attention fixed on Gaza, Netanyahu’s message was succinct yet resolute: “Together we will win.”