Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that every possible step would be taken to secure the release of abducted citizens, framing it as a central objective of the ongoing conflict. The report from RIA News notes that active measures are underway, with every available option being exploited to bring the hostages home. Netanyahu emphasized that the work continues and that the scale of these efforts may be underappreciated by the public.
He added that increasing pressure on Hamas would raise the likelihood of hostages being returned. The prime minister also referenced the launch of the war’s second phase, aimed at dismantling Hamas infrastructure and accelerating hostage release.
On 7 October, Hamas launched thousands of rockets into Israel and announced Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. Militants entered Israeli territory, seized military equipment, and took more than a hundred hostages. In response, Netanyahu declared that the country was at war, setting the stage for a broad military campaign.
The Israel Defense Forces named the intervention operation Iron Swords, with the declared objective of crippling Hamas. The Israeli Air Force targeted hundreds of Hamas sites in the Gaza Strip, while Israel’s National Security Council authorized cutting off essential supplies to the enclave. By 13 October, the United Nations stated that up to 1.1 million Palestinians should evacuate to southern Gaza within 24 hours prior to a potential ground operation in Gaza.
Analysts and political researchers have offered various explanations for the flare-ups in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, noting that longstanding grievances and regional dynamics often contribute to periodic escalations.