Sawt Falasteen - Israel PM says army entering Gaza 'with full force' in coming days

"In the very coming days, we are going in with full force to complete the operation," Netanyahu was quoted as saying in a statement from his office on Tuesday.

"Completing the operation means defeating Hamas. It means destroying Hamas," Netanyahu said.

"There will be no situation where we stop the war. A temporary ceasefire might happen, but we are going all the way."

The prime minister's comments followed the return on Monday of 21-year-old soldier Edan Alexander, who had been in Hamas captivity since the militant group's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that triggered the war.

Netanyahu had credited Alexander's release to a combination of "our military pressure and the political pressure exerted by (US) President (Donald) Trump."

But on Tuesday, Hamas rejected the claim.

"The return of Edan Alexander is the result of serious communications with the US administration and the efforts of mediators, not a consequence of Israeli aggression or the illusion of military pressure," the Palestinian militant group said in a statement.

Israel resumed major operations across Gaza on March 18 amid a deadlock over how to proceed with a January 19 ceasefire.

Earlier this month, Israel's government approved plans to expand its offensive, with officials talking of retaining a long-term presence there.

Israel says that its renewed bombardments are aimed at forcing Hamas to free hostages.

- 'Made of steel' -

The release of Alexander -- the last living captive in Gaza with US citizenship -- came a day after Hamas revealed it was engaged in direct talks with Washington towards a ceasefire in Gaza.

Netanyahu on Monday thanked Trump "for his assistance in the release" and said would be sending a negotiating team to Qatar on Tuesday to discuss the release of the remaining captives.

He had said earlier Monday that negotiations for a possible deal to secure the release of all hostages would continue "under fire, during preparations for an intensification of the fighting".

Trump arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday on the first leg of a Gulf tour that will also take him to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Netanyahu on Tuesday spoke on the phone with Alexander and US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, who met the former hostage in hospital.

"The entire nation of Israel is overjoyed," Netanyahu said on the call, according to a video released by his office.

"We are grateful for American support and deeply appreciate the (Israeli) soldiers who are prepared to act by any means necessary if the remaining hostages are not released," he added.

When asked by Netanyahu how he was feeling, Alexander replied: "It's crazy, unbelievable. I'm okay. Weak, but slowly I'll get back to how I was before. It's just a matter of time."

Witkoff and US hostage envoy Adam Boehler met with hostages' relatives in Tel Aviv, with Witkoff emphasising that "they will accept nothing less than the return of everyone, as this is the (US) President's mission," a statement from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said.

- 'Over 50 percent will leave' -

During the meeting with soldiers late Monday, Netanyahu said Israel was working to find countries that may be willing to take in Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.

Israeli ministers have seized on a proposal initially floated by Trump for the voluntary departure of Gazans to neighbouring countries such as Jordan or Egypt.

Cairo and Amman, along with other Arab allies, governments around the world and the Palestinians themselves, have flatly rejected the proposal.

"We've set up an administration that will allow them (Gaza residents) to leave but... we need countries willing to take them in. That's what we're working on right now," he said, adding that he estimated "over 50 percent will leave" if given the option.

The war in Gaza was triggered by Hamas's 2023 attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official data.

In addition, militants abducted 251 people, of whom 57 are still being held in Gaza, including 34 declared dead by the Israeli army.

The Israeli offensive launched in retaliation for the October 7 attack has killed at least 52,908 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to data from the Hamas-run health ministry, which is considered reliable by the UN.

C.AbuSway--SF-PST