Gaza (TDI): A senior Israeli minister suggested Wednesday that Israel could consider annexing parts of Gaza to increase pressure on Hamas, a move that would further diminish Palestinian aspirations for statehood on land currently under Israeli occupation.
The remark came from Zeev Elkin, a member of Israel’s security cabinet, just a day after the United Kingdom warned it would officially recognize a Palestinian state in September unless Israel acts to ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and commits to a ceasefire deal.
The UK joins France, which issued a similar pledge last week, and a wider Arab-backed initiative supported by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, and the Arab League, calling for the implementation of a two-state solution.
Speaking to public broadcaster Kan, Elkin accused Hamas of deliberately stalling negotiations in order to win further Israeli concessions. He warned that Jerusalem might soon present Hamas with a clear ultimatum: agree to a ceasefire or risk the permanent loss of territory.
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“The most painful thing for our enemy is losing lands,” Elkin said. “Making it clear to Hamas that playing games will cost them land they’ll never get back could serve as real leverage.”
Efforts to broker a truce, which would involve a 60-day ceasefire and the release of remaining hostages, have stalled, with both sides blaming each other for the deadlock.
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Meanwhile, global criticism of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza is mounting. A leading food insecurity monitor warned that famine conditions are taking hold, and Gaza’s health ministry on Wednesday confirmed seven more deaths related to hunger, including a two-year-old girl with a pre-existing illness.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blasted Britain’s announcement, accusing London of “rewarding Hamas’ monstrous terrorism.” His office issued similar criticism after France’s declaration the previous week.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
