Israel Prepares New Military Assault to Demolish Hamas Tunnels After Hostage Release Amid Gaza Genocide

Israel is preparing a renewed military push to demolish Hamas tunnels immediately after the hostage releases tied to the current ceasefire.

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NBC News

BBC reports that Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz announced plans for the IDF to destroy all Hamas tunnels with support from a US-led international mechanism.

NBC News

The ceasefire itself was approved by Israel’s Cabinet and sets a short timeline for withdrawals and releases, according to AP.

CNN adds that Israel demanded “closed zones” in parts of Gaza to search for the remains of hostages and concedes not all deceased will be returned within the 72-hour window.

An international task force is working to recover the remains of hostages.

NBC says Israeli medical teams are already positioned to receive hostages.

The U.S. will deploy up to 200 troops to Israel in support roles tied to aid and security assistance.

The exchange framework is fragmented and politically charged.

BBC reports the deal includes releasing both living and deceased hostages, with Israel freeing around 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,700 detainees from Gaza.

NBC News

AP says the opposing group is demanding about 2,000 prisoners, figures that do not neatly align with other reports.

CNN adds Israel will release “hundreds” of prisoners starting Monday.

CBS describes the releases as part of a broader Trump-era plan.

Families of hostages gather and wait as Israel enforces “closed zones” to retrieve remains.

This underscores that the handover includes those killed in Gaza.

On-the-ground reality is stark: aid flows are insufficient and Palestinians are returning to devastated neighborhoods.

“Families of hostages gathered in a square at sunset, preparing for Shabbat dinner in a nearby building, hoping it would be their last before the remaining hostages are freed”

CBS News

CBS reports that over 500 aid trucks have entered Gaza despite many crossings still being closed.

CNN notes that hundreds of trucks are queued at Rafah.

The BBC warns that deliveries must scale up urgently.

The Times adds that Israel approved aid deliveries but only a small fraction has arrived.

Meanwhile, NBC reports roughly 500,000 Palestinians have returned to northern Gaza.

The BBC says thousands are heading back into Gaza City.

The Times cites 200,000 returnees to the north.

CBS reports tens of thousands returning to ruined areas of Khan Younis.

NBC and CNN both describe bodies trapped under rubble from Israeli attacks.

There are estimates of up to 10,000 people feared buried and a shortage of heavy equipment.

Casualty figures and devastation are explicit.

TRT World reports Israeli attacks have killed over 67,600 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, leaving the area uninhabitable.

Newsweek

Newsweek also reports over 67,000 Palestinians killed and more than 2 million displaced since October 2023.

CNN says thousands remain buried under rubble from destruction caused by Israeli attacks.

While Israel plans to destroy militant tunnels next, CNN also reports Israeli raids and arrests in the West Bank to prevent celebrations of Palestinian prisoner releases.

These actions show the state enforcing control beyond Gaza even during a ceasefire.

The next phase is intensely international.

“The article highlights a tense and challenging phase in the Israeli-Palestinian situation, marked by a lack of celebrations or positive developments”

The Times

NBC says up to 200 U.S. troops will deploy to Israel to support logistics for aid and security.

The Times

BBC notes a US-led mechanism backing Israel’s tunnel-demolition campaign.

CNN and The Times both describe an Egypt-hosted summit where Donald Trump will push his Gaza plan.

Newsweek reports Israel is still conducting airstrikes in Lebanon despite a ceasefire there, highlighting a wider battlefield even as the Gaza ceasefire holds.

AP says reconstruction and governance remain unresolved, with a potential role for the Palestinian Authority despite Netanyahu’s opposition to a future Palestinian state.

TRT World outlines a second-phase design that excludes Hamas, brings Arab and Islamic-country troops, and seeks to disarm Hamas.