The prospect of a complete Israeli takeover of the Gaza Strip, potentially being considered by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, raises serious concerns about the safety of remaining Hamas hostages, according to former Israeli Ambassador to Germany, Shimon Stein.
Speaking to the German “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” Stein suggested that Netanyahu may be prepared to sacrifice the hostages in Gaza City to achieve full territorial control. He stated, “We already occupy 75 percent of the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu apparently is ready to sacrifice the hostages for the complete conquest of Gaza City.
This potential escalation follows warnings from within the Israeli military, which has consistently cautioned against a full-scale takeover due to the heightened risk to the hostages abducted on October 7, 2023 and still held by Hamas.
Stein urged Germany to proactively engage in direct negotiations with Hamas regarding the release of German citizens held captive, asserting that Berlin has a responsibility to act decisively for its nationals. “If it’s necessary, Germany must assume this responsibility for its citizens” he emphasized.
Drawing a parallel to past successes, Stein pointed to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s unconventional dialogue approaches, which reportedly facilitated the release of citizens holding U.S. citizenship. He suggested Germany should consider a similar course of action, even if it resulted in a conflict with Netanyahu’s government.
