TEL AVIV, July 23. /TASS/. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has noted that the spirit of the radical Palestinian movement Hamas "is starting to break" and asserted that he plans to continue Israel’s military operation in the Gaza Strip in order to liberate hostages held there.

""I am doing everything in my power to combine the necessary humanitarian objective and the imperative to return the hostages, and at the same time, preserve the existence of the State of Israel. I am not prepared in any way to give in on the victory over Hamas. If we give up on this, we will be in danger in the face of Iran's entire axis of evil. The decisions that we make are fateful decisions for the future of the State of Israel and the Zionist enterprise. Regarding the deal [to liberate the hostages], the conditions are becoming ripe, without doubt. This is a good sign and the additional sign is that we see that the enemy's spirit is starting to break," Netanyahu said at a meeting with representatives of the families of the hostages, during his visit to the US, as cited by his office.

"I believe that if we are steadfast in this, we can achieve a deal. I say in advance that this is a process. Unfortunately, it will not take place all at once; there will be stages. However, I believe that we can advance the deal and leave us in possession of the leverage to bring about the release of the others. This is the direction in which we are heading," he stressed.

Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7, 2023, when militants from the Gaza-based Palestinian radical group Hamas staged a surprise incursion into Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip. Hamas described its attack as a response to the aggressive actions of Israeli authorities against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City. In response, Israel has declared a state of war readiness; announced a total blockade of the Gaza Strip, home to 2.3 million Palestinians; and began delivering air strikes on the enclave and certain parts of Lebanon and Syria, followed by a ground operation in the enclave. Clashes are underway in the West Bank as well.

At the end of November 2023, Hamas reported reaching an agreement with Israel, mediated by Qatar and Egypt, on a humanitarian truce which lasted a week. Israel managed to liberate 110 hostages during this time. On December 1, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire and announced renewed fighting in the Gaza Strip.