The Israel-Hamas ceasefire ended on Monday when Israel announced it was resuming airstrikes in Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) wrote on its X account that it was “conducting extensive strikes on terror targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip.” Israel pointed to Hamas’ repeated refusal to accept a hostage release and ceasefire extension as the reason for the return to war.
“Israel said, ‘Yes, we’re willing to extend ceasefire and to have more hostages released,’ but Hamas said ‘no.’ Very clearly, twice Hamas said ‘no’ to the option of releasing more hostages and extending the ceasefire. So, basically, we are left with no choice, with no other option to release our hostages,” Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Oren Marmorstein told Fox News Digital.
As of now, according to Marmorstein, Israel’s “war objectives” include securing the hostages’ release, destroying Hamas infrastructure and ensuring there “is no more threat of another October 7th.”
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Marmorstein acknowledged that Palestinians were suffering, but placed the blame on Hamas for using Gaza civilians as “human shields.” Israel has often pointed to Hamas’ use of civilian infrastructure, such as hospitals, in its terror operations.
Prior to the airstrikes, IDF Spokesperson for Arabic Media Col. Avichay Adraee issued a warning to Gazans in Arabic. In the past, Israel has also used Arabic pamphlets and other methods to warn Palestinians ahead of its operations.
The IDF’s translation of part of Adraee’s message reads, “For your own safety, move away to the known shelters in western Gaza City and in the city of Khan Yunis. Staying in the area marked in red may endanger you and your family.”
When asked about the Hostages and Missing Families Forum’s statement calling for an immediate return to the ceasefire, Marmorstein insisted that resuming war operations would secure the hostages’ release.
“If you want to have the hostages’ release, you needed to go into this operation because Hamas was very adamant in their decision not to accept any offer, any offer to extend the ceasefire,” Marmorstein said.
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Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, was trying to make a “corridor” between phases one and two of the ceasefire plan, which would have seen the release of more hostages, according to Marmorstein. The Israeli official said that the Jewish state accepted more than one U.S. proposal, while Hamas rejected them.
Marmorstein also said that Hamas “rhetoric” on the war “has nothing to do with reality,” adding that statements from the U.S. indicate a “clear understanding that Hamas” is at fault. Additionally, Marmorstein told Fox News Digital that Israel consulted with the Americans, something that White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told “Hannity” earlier this week.
“The Trump administration and the White House were consulted by the Israelis on their attacks in Gaza tonight,” Leavitt told “Hannity” on Monday night.
When speaking to Fox News Digital, Marmorstein offered high praise for the Trump administration, saying that Israel “cannot hope for a better friend in the U.S.” Marmorstein told Fox News Digital that the relationship between the U.S. and Israel reached “new peaks” with President Donald Trump. He also said that Israel was “grateful” for the U.S. and Trump’s support during the war.
Marmorstein expressed confidence in Israel’s ability to defeat Hamas and echoed the message of former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir, who said that Israel’s “secret weapon” was that the Jews had no other place to go.
“This is the fight that we were forced to fight and will win it. And I can tell you, I know we’ll win it because of simple reason, we’ll win this fight against Hamas and against Houthis and against any other terrorist organization, because we have no other choice,” Marmorstein told Fox News Digital.
