Key facts
- Benjamin Netanyahu stated the Israeli military minimizes civilian casualties more than any other.
- Netanyahu claimed Israel is targeted by more propaganda than any other country.
- Lebanon's health ministry reported over 4,000 killed and 12,000 wounded in Israeli attacks since March 2.
- Gaza health authorities reported over 73,000 Palestinians killed and 173,000 wounded.
- Netanyahu's plan for Gaza involves capturing and holding territory, with an offensive pending Donald Trump's trip.
- UN agencies and European nations oppose a new offensive and warn of starvation due to Israel's blockade.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has defended the conduct of the Israeli military, asserting that no other military takes greater measures to minimize civilian casualties. He also claimed that Israel faces more propaganda than any other nation. These statements come amidst increasing international criticism of Israel's military operations in both Lebanon and Gaza, with US President Donald Trump also expressing concerns about the civilian death toll.
According to Lebanon's health ministry, Israeli attacks since March 2 have resulted in at least 4,057 deaths and 12,121 injuries. In Gaza, health authorities report that at least 73,018 Palestinians have been killed and 173,273 wounded since the conflict began. Israel faces ongoing allegations of genocide for its actions in Gaza.
Netanyahu has outlined a plan for Gaza that involves capturing and holding territory, with an intensified offensive anticipated after Donald Trump's upcoming trip to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar. The spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Brigadier-General Effie Defrin, stated the offensive aims to recover remaining hostages and dismantle Hamas. However, the plan to force over two million Palestinian civilians into a small area in southern Gaza has been condemned by UN humanitarian agencies, who refuse to cooperate, citing it as a violation of humanitarian aid principles and warning of starvation due to Israel's prolonged blockade.
Britain and the European Union have also voiced opposition to a new Israeli offensive. Foreign ministers from the UK, France, and Germany warned that the blockade poses an 'intolerable' risk of starvation, disease, and death to Palestinian civilians, implicitly suggesting that Israel may be violating international law. They emphasized that humanitarian aid must not be used as a political tool and that Palestinian territory should not be reduced or subjected to demographic changes.
Israel denies violating international humanitarian law, though its own ministers' statements, such as Defense Minister Israel Katz describing the blockade as a 'main pressure lever' against Hamas, suggest otherwise and could be interpreted as a war crime. Countries and organizations that believe Israel systematically violates legal obligations will scrutinize the new offensive for further evidence. The extreme language used by some Israeli ministers has been noted by South African lawyers pursuing a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
Internal IDF data, reportedly from a classified database, indicated that by May, 8,900 named fighters were dead or likely dead, contributing to an overall death toll of 53,000 in Gaza. This data suggests a civilian death rate of 83% in the conflict.