Israel considers expanding Gaza war as ceasefire talks reach an impasse

Source: CNN

Israel considers expanding Gaza war as ceasefire talks reach an impasse

Updated 1 hr 14 min ago
PUBLISHED Aug 4, 2025, 8:50 AM ET
By Tim Lister, Dana Karni, Kareem Khadder and Catherine Nicholls

Negotiations on a hostage and ceasefire deal in Gaza appear to be at an impasse, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leaning towards expanded military operations and Hamas demanding the humanitarian situation be addressed before it returns to talks.

An Israeli official said Sunday that Netanyahu is “pushing for the freeing of the hostages through military defeat (of Hamas),” while accusing the militant group of refusing to engage in meaningful negotiations.

The official said that Netanyahu wanted to combine the freeing of the hostages “with the entry of humanitarian aid into areas outside the combat zones and, as much as possible, into areas not under Hamas control.”

Asked about plans to widen the military campaign, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said Monday it reflected “a wish to see all the hostages come back, and the wish to see the end of this war after the talks for a partial deal was not successful.”

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Read more: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/08/04/middleeast/israel-gaza-war-expansion-intl