Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has ordered the country's military to expand their incursion into the Gaza Strip, an action that would violate the agreed-upon ceasefire agreement.
Benjamin Netanyahu
Speaking at an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank of the Jordan River, Mr. Netanyahu said that IDF forces would seize control of 70% of Gaza, contrary to the 50% that was under its control when the ceasefire was agreed upon last October.
A released video showed people at the scene chanting "100 percent," but the Prime Minister responded to them by saying "for now, we will start with 70%."
Since the implementation of the US-brokered agreement, Israel has killed over 900 Palestinians, while accusing Hamas of violating its terms regarding laying down their weapons.
Benjamin Netanyahu is the Prime Minister of Israel. He is the longest-serving prime minister in the country's history, and currently leads the government established in 2022.
· Terms in office: He has held the position of prime minister on three occasions: 1996-1999, 2009-2021, and from 2022 to the present.
· Early life: He was born in Tel Aviv on October 21, 1949. He spent part of his education in Pennsylvania, USA, where he attended Cheltenham High School.
· Military service: Before entering politics, Netanyahu was a soldier in the elite Sayeret Matkal unit. He participated in several operations, including the rescue of passengers at Lod Airport (Tel Aviv) in 1972.
· Party: Leader of the nationalist Likud party.
· Criminal charges: In 2019, charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust were announced. He denies these allegations.
In recent months, Netanyahu has ordered intensified attacks against Hezbollah in Lebanon and the expansion of Israeli control in the Gaza Strip.